Vessels
Royal Navy frigate facilitates autonomous systems trials
Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll has lent its capabilities to a BAE Systems team trying out their unmanned Pacific 24 sea boat in trials at London’s Docklands. The trials are part of the Royal Navy’s NavyX autonomous hardware accelerator program and will take place over the course of this week. Type 23
Dutch, Portuguese frigates getting Thales’ radar electronic support measures
Royal Netherlands Navy and Portuguese Navy Karel Doorman-class frigates are getting Thales-developed Vigile D radar electronic support measures as part of their planned upgrades. The solution will be fitted on three Dutch Navy vessels, and two Portuguese Navy frigates. As explained by Thales, Vigile
UK signs maintenance deal for 2,200 military boats
The UK defense ministry has authorized a new £177 million (approx. $218.4m) deal for the maintenance of some 2,200 boats used across the British military. The Boats In-Service Support (BISS) agreement, negotiated by Defence Equipment and Support, the procurement arm of the MOD, enables spares, repai
NATO ships visit New York ahead of ASW drill off Canada
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group One (SNMG1) wrapped up a four-day visit to New York on September 3 after previously completing their first series of training events since arriving in the US. The ships are now headed for Halifax, Canada, where they will be part of a 22-ship strong anti-subm
UK readies berth for arrival of second aircraft carrier
The Royal Navy base HMNB Portsmouth will soon be ready to welcome the second of two Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers as the work on the base’s second berth is in the final stages. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is working with its contractor Volker Stevin to deliver infrastruct
RFA Mounts Bay delivers first aid to Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay distributed relief items, including vital shelter kits to The Bahamas which was hit by the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian. A rigid-hulled inflatable boat was deployed from RFA Mounts Bay on September 4 with a dedicated humanitarian and disaster relief team to join
German air-defense frigate Hamburg deploying to NATO’s SNMG2
German Navy Sachsen-class frigate FGS Hamburg is scheduled to depart her Wilhelmsaven homeport on September 6 to join NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). Hamburg will set sail for the Aegean Sea where the international group is most active. The air-defense frigate and her crew will spend the n
German offshore patrol vessels getting BAE’s 57mm naval guns
German offshore patrol vessels that will be used to patrol the country’s North Sea and Baltic coastlines are set to receive BAE Systems-built 57mm naval guns. The first gun system is scheduled for delivery in 2020. German shipbuilder Fassmer is building three 86-meter OPVs for the German federal pol
Pakistan Navy’s second OPV launched in Romania
Dutch shipbuilder Damen has launched the second of two Pakistan Navy offshore patrol vessels at its shipyard in Galati, Romania. The two OPVs, referred to as corvettes by the Pakistan Navy, are being built under a contract from June 2017. The lead ship in the class was launched in May 2019 and is ex
France pinpoints three La Fayette frigates for mid-life upgrades
The French defense ministry has pinpointed three Marine Nationale La Fayette-class frigates (FLF) that will be receiving mid-life upgrades. From 2021, the lead ship FS La Fayette, along with third and fourth ships in the class, FS Courbet and FS Aconit, will benefit from an upgraded ships’ platform
Australian Navy’s second Supply-class tanker launched in Spain
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has launched the second of two Royal Australian Navy auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) ships at its shipyard in Ferrol, Spain. Future support tanker HMAS Stalwart was launched on August 31. The delivery into service of the Supply-class replenishment vessels from next y
HMS Queen Elizabeth departs for final phase of trials with UK F-35B fighter jets
The trials, known as Westlant, will take place off the US East Coast.
40-ship maneuver Northern Coasts starting in Denmark
The two-week exercise will take place in Denmark and Germany.
NATO group wraps up deployment’s first drills in US waters
Maritime Express will also see cooperation between military vessels and the commercial shipping community.