American defense contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $291,750,539 contract modification for the AIM-9x Block II program which is an upgrade of the U.S. Navy’s Aim 9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile. The U.S. Navy cleared Raytheon to begin full-rate production on the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II infra
Italian missile manufacturer MBDA signed a 1 billion euro contract on June 29 to supply the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF) with missiles for their new naval vessels to be procured from Fincantieri. Qatar is to acquire a total of seven surface vessels under the 3.9 billion euro contract which follow
Ships assigned to the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG) met with Turkish naval forces to stage an anti-submarine warfare exercise on June 25. Shortened to ASWEX, the exercise was designed to utilize the navies’ skills while defending multiple units from possible sub-surface threats. “Anti-su
Royal Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine HMS Ambush docked in Gibraltar on June 25 arriving shortly after a Spanish official announced the possibility of a joint sovereignty over ‘The Rock’. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said during an interview that Brexit opened greater possib
The record number of countries to participate in the world’s largest naval exercise has been pushed down from 27 to 26 as it became known that Brazil would not take part in the drills in the Pacific. “Unfortunately, due to unforeseen scheduling commitments, Brazil is unable to participate in RIMPAC
Turkish Navy’s third Milgem class corvette, the F-513 TCG Burgazada, was launched June 18 during a ceremony attended by president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım. TCG Burgazada is the third ship of the series built at Istanbul Naval Shipyard Command as part of the Milgem proj
U.S. Navy’s guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) paid a four day visit to Naples, Italy and returned to regular tasks June 21. San Jacinto arrived in Naples following several days of at-sea operations with Italian naval vessels during a combined Flotta Verde/Great Green Fleet passing exerc
The Belgian Navy recently shared a video of its multi-purpose frigate BNS Leopold I testing its missile firing capabilities during two international exercises held between June 6 – 16 off the coast of Norway. Both exercises were designed to test the defensive techniques and anti-ship missiles. Eleve
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Portland departed naval base Plymouth today on a nine-month deployment Middle East and the Atlantic Ocean with the Combined Maritime Forces. The frigate is also due to take part in multi-national maritime operations with navies from several nations, strengthening the
Photos: Italian Navy Italian and U.S. Navy have completed the first international replenishment at sea (RAS) to involve the transfer of alternative fuel, in this case a synthetic biodiesel (Green Diesel) produced in Italy. On June 16, Italian Navy auxiliary ship Etna replenished the Arleigh Burke-cl
The Qatari Ministry of Defence has chosen the Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri over the rival French DCNS for its €4 billion euro national naval acquisition program. Fincantieri and the Qatari Ministry of Defence signed the contract for the construction of seven new units overall in Rome, Ital
Following a readiness period in her homeport in Ferrol, Spain, the AEGIS frigate Cristóbal Colón (F-105) is set to sail towards Norfolk, Virginia for a month and a half deployment along with a U.S. Navy destroyer for combat system ship qualification trials (CSSQT). These trials will take place in th
A video released by the Turkish Navy shows a retired Turkish frigate, which was formerly a U.S. Navy ship, being sunk by a torpedo during the exercise Beyaz Fırtına (White Storm) held in May 2016. The video covers the entire exercise spectrum but the moment which shows a Turkish submarine submerging
German Navy corvette ‘Erfurt’ returned to her homeport in Warnemünde, Germany on June 11 after a 17-month deployment. Having a ship spend 17 months deployed without returning home was important for the German Navy as it was able to test the ‘intensive use’ principle for the corvettes where four crew
