Vessels
Fincantieri launches sixth FREMM ship
The Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri launched ‘Luigi Rizzo’, the sixth of overall ten Multi Mission European Frigates (FREMM) at the Riva Trigoso shipyard in Italy on December 19. Fincantieri is building the 10 FREMM vessels for the Italian Navy within the framework of an Italo-French cooper
FS Charles de Gaulle conducts first airstrikes with CTF 50
The French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (R 91) took charge of U.S. Navy’s Commander Task Force 50 on December 20 to conduct first airstrikes against ISIL as the CTF 50 flagship. When the FS Charles de Gaulle entered what is known as the U.S. 5th fleet area of operations on December 7, it [&
Saab seals Swedish corvette contract
The Swedish defence and security company Saab announced December 18 that it signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Material Administration for the yearly overhaul and modification of the Swedish Navy’s Stockholm-class corvettes. The two Swedish Navy vessels are HMS Stockholm and HMS Malmö. The a
Navy to cut LCS program to 40 units, chose one shipbuilder
The U.S. Navy might have to give up on acquiring 52 littoral combat ships and reduce the number to 40 and decide on only one shipbuilder. U.S Defense Secretary Ash Carter told this to the Navy Secretary Ray Mabus in a December 14 memo, first reported by Defense News. Carter said that the funds saved
Canadian Navy sub returns home
The Canadian Navy’s hunter-killer submarine HMCS Windsor returned to Halifax December 17 after a three and a half month deployment to Western European waters. HMCS Windsor, along with HMC Ships Athabaskan, Halifax, Montréal, Goose Bay, and Summerside left Halifax in the early fall. The submarine is
US Navy to christen USS Omaha
The U.S. Navy announced the christening ceremony of the newest Independence-variant littoral combat ship, USS Omaha (LCS 12), that will take place in Mobile, Alabama, December 19. Omaha, designated LCS 12, honors the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Ray Mabus, secretary of the Navy, who will serve as princi
HMS Lancaster concludes nine-month deployment
HMS Lancaster, the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate, returned to Portsmouth December 17 from a nine-month deployment to the North and South Atlantic. The frigate has steamed more than 35,000 nautical miles across four oceans and has visited 23 ports in 18 countries. She was also the first Royal Navy ves
USS Rafael Peralta commences Aegis testing
The U.S. Navy’s future DDG 51 destroyer, USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) started its Aegis Combat System testing at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) shipyard, December 17. The Aegis system light off marks the beginning of combat system testing for the ship. These tests will ensure all combat system equipment
Australian Defence Minister visits Austal
The Australian Minister for Defence, Senator Marise Payne, paid a visit to Austal’s Western Australian shipyard on Wednesday, December 16. The minister toured the shipyard to take a look at the company’s naval vessel design, construction and sustainment capabilities. The Defence Minister’s delegatio
FGS Hamburg departs NATO after 6-month deployment
The German frigate FGS Hamburg will return to her homeport in Wilhelmshaven, Germany after spending six months as a NATO unit flagship on December 20. Hamburg was flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2. The 200 men and women of the FGS Hamburg were commanded by Rear Admiral Jörg Klein, who w
$64 million heroin interception for HMAS Melbourne
In her third drug seizure so far, HMAS Melbourne has intercepted another 216 kilograms of high-grade heroin in the Middle East worth around $64 million (USD $46.1 million). The heroin was transferred to Melbourne for further analysis. The seizure takes the Royal Australian Navy’s narcotics haul sinc
HMS Defender joins FS Charles de Gaulle
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer, HMS Defender, has now officially joined the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle in the Middle East in the fight against Daesh. The warship met with the carrier in the Indian Ocean with the goal of enhancing its capabilities in the fight against terrorist grou
Lockheed Martin bags $72.4 M submarine contracts
Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training has been awarded a $72.4 million contract to provide U.S. and United Kingdom Trident II (D5) navigation subsystem engineering support services. The contract will see Lockheed Martin provide U.S. and U.K. fleet support and U.S. and U.K. trainer systems sup
‘Charles de Gaulle’ commander on board FGS Augsburg
The German frigate is currently on a mission to support the French aircraft carrier in his efforts against the Islamic State terror group in Syria. The two ships recently conducted a replenishment at sea maneuver with the U.S Navy’s replenishment oiler USNS Laramie. After the maneuver was complete,