Fincantieri Marine Group announced it would be teaming with design firm Gibbs & Cox and propulsion systems integrator Trident Maritime Systems to offer a modified version of its FREMM frigate for the US Navy’s new guided‐missile frigate, FFG(X) bid. “We’ve assembled a world‐class team of partners to
The newest US Navy amphibious transport dock ship Portland (LPD-27) will serve as a platform for the technology demonstration of a laser weapon developed by the Office of Naval Research. This was announced by LPD-17 and LHA program manager Capt. Brian Metcalf at the Surface Navy Association’s annual
German Navy’s F124 air-defense frigate FGS Hessen will be joining a US Navy aircraft carrier strike group off the US east coast for joint drills. Hessen is scheduled to depart her homeport of Wilhelmshaven on January 15 and will be joined by a Norwegian frigate which will also be integrating into a
The US State Department has approved the sale of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) anti-ballistic missiles to the the government of Japan, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on January 9. Japan’s order is worth an estimated $133.3 million and includes four Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block I
US defense company Lockheed Martin has contracted naval architecture firm Gibbs & Cox for work on the functional design of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships. A derivative of the US Navy’s Freedom-variant littoral combat ships, Lockheed Martin’s MMSC was selec
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) got underway from Naval Station Rota, Spain, on January 8, to start its sixth forward-deployed patrol in Africa and Europe. Ross completed its previous four-month patrol in July 2017. The 2017 patrol saw the destroyer take part
Sweden’s defense contractor Saab announced it will be demonstrating its AUV62-AT anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training system to the US Navy this year. The AUV62-AT is based on an artificial acoustic system that mimics a submarine. The US Navy will evaluate Saab’s AUV62-AT against its own systems th
The US State Department approved the sale of RGM-84L Harpoon Block II surface launched missiles, Block II Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) tactical missiles and MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes to the government of Mexico. Mexico requested the systems, worth an estimated $98.4 million, for use on the
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and its carrier strike group will be the first to deploy in 2018, getting underway from San Diego on January 5. The strike group’s 6,000 sailors will deploy aboard four ships, including aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and the guided-missile
US Navy cruiser USS Lake Champlain is getting underway from Naval Base San Diego on January 4 to start a regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific. The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser will deploy as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group. Lake Champlain completed a six-month deplo
US Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) pulled into Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on December 28 for a final port call en route to her new homeport of Sasebo, Japan. Wasp departed Norfolk, Virginia, August 30, but was diverted to the Caribbean in the wake of hurricanes Irma and
The Royal Canadian Navy’s Resolve-class naval support ship Asterix has completed all trials and is en route to Canadian Forces Base Halifax where she will enter Royal Canadian Navy service and be operated by Federal Fleet Services Inc. According to Davie Shipbuilding, the company in charge of conver
The US Navy’s next generation of ballistic missile submarines could encounter cost overruns and unexpected delays caused by new and under-tested technologies, a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report has warned. GAO noted that additional development and testing on several Columbia-class subma
US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) concluded a seven-month deployment to the US 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation, returning to its Naval Station Norfolk homeport on December 23. The ship departed May 23, to support anti-submarine exercises and operations in the Nor
