French missile developer MBDA announced that the Anglo-French Sea Venom-ANL anti-ship missile recently completed another firing trial, bringing the missile program a step closer to production. The latest firing builds on previous two from July 2017 and May 2018. Conducted on November 14 from a Frenc
US aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman returned home on December 16, becoming the first US Navy Nimitz-class carrier to complete a deployment under the new dynamic force employment concept. In all, the flattop spent some seven months on operations since first deploying from naval station Norfolk on
Royal Navy Type 23 frigates HMS Westminster and HMS Monmouth returned to their homeports in Portsmouth and Devonport, respectively, on December 14. Westminster returned after an eight-week stint in the North and Baltic Sea where she trained with other NATO and ally ships as part of NATO’s largest ex
The second Zumwalt-class destroyer, future USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001), arrived at its homeport of San Diego December 7, successfully completing her sail around from Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine to California. With underway testing complete, the ship now looks forward to commissioning and
Swedish defense technology company Saab announced it has launched a new laser rangefinder named Vidar. Vidar is currently in production for the situational awareness system that Saab will deliver for Australia’s new Arafura class offshore patrol vessels. Luerssen Australia awarded Saab the contract
The US Navy’s John C. Stennis carrier strike group (CSG) and the Essex amphibious ready group (ARG) commenced integrated operations in the Arabian Sea on December 12. While steaming, USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Essex (LHD 2) are supporting Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, providing armed suppo
The UK and France have every interest in successfully completing the future cruise/anti-ship weapon (FC/ASW) program, the House of Commons Defence Committee and the Assemblée nationale’s Standing Committee on National Defence and the Armed Forces said in a joint report. The report marks the culminat
Nearly 6,500 sailors from the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) are scheduled to return to Naval Station Norfolk on December 16, after completing an eight-month deployment across the 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. The returning units of HSTCSG include flagship USS Harry S. Tr
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and US Navy sailors have conducted an on-land ballistic missile defense system test at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) at Kauai, Hawaii. During the test, the Lockheed Martin-built Aegis Weapon System engaged and intercepted an intermediate range ballistic m
The US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) completed a Live Fire With A Purpose (LFWAP) exercise on December 6. Two Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTI) led teams aboard Abraham Lincoln through LFWAP. They’ve spent the last month w
The French Navy plans to install seven tracking and illumination (STIR) radars on its frigates for their gun and missile fire control, defense technology company Thales said. As informed, five of the radars will be installed on board future intermediate-size frigates (FTI), and two will be placed on
The future USS Lyndon B. Johnson (DDG 1002), the US Navy’s third Zumwalt-class destroyer, was launched at General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works shipyard on December 9. The newbuilding was translated from land level to the Kennebec River over the weekend. “It’s important for the DDG 1000 program and shipy
Three shipbuilding teams have received funds from the UK to continue developing their plans for the construction of Type 31e frigates. On December 10, 2018, the country’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) awarded three contracts for the Competitive Design Phase. The contracts have been awarded to consortia
Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) ships Varyag, Admiral Panteleyev and Boris Butoma arrived in Visakhapatnam to participate in Indra Navy, the Indo-Russian maritime exercise. The 10th edition of the bilateral exercise will be conducted off Visakhapatnam from December 9 to 16, 2018. Indra Navy aims to i
