The Brazilian Navy has cancelled its participation in the multinational naval drill Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 due to operational schedules. This is according to a report by USNI News, which said the Brazilian Navy’s withdrawal from the exercise was confirmed by the US 3rd Fleet. Brazil was ex
US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) met up with the Egyptian Navy frigate El Zafer (F951) for a passing exercise (PASSEX) in the US 5th Fleet area of operations. PASSEX is an exercise in which multiple ships, operating in close vicinity, practice evolutions together to improv
The US Navy amphibious ready group led by Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) returned to homeport on June 28, after completing the Navy’s first East Coast ARG Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercise. SWATT is led by mentors and warfare tactics instructors (W
The Polish defense ministry announced on June 29 that it has awarded PGZ a contract to complete outfitting works and all trials on the offshore patrol vessel ‘Ślązak’ and subsequently deliver it to the Polish Navy. According to the announcement, Ślązak is set to start trials in July 2018 while the d
Singapore has taken over the command of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151) from Japan in a change of command ceremony held at the Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain on June 28. Rear Admiral Saw Shi Tat, Republic of Singapore Navy relieved Rear Admiral Daisuke Kajimoto of the Japan Maritime Self Def
European missile manufacturer MBDA has opened a new facility in Bolton, Great Britain, in a ceremony attended by UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson. During the ceremony, the defense secretary unveiled a plaque to mark the completion of five years of work and £50 million worth of investment into t
The Royal Navy’s newest survey ship has been formally welcomed into the naval family in her home of Devonport. The commissioning ceremony for the new ship, named HMS Magpie, was held on June 28, 2018. Among the attendees was the Duke of Edinburgh, who was in charge of the previous Magpie between 195
Northrop Grumman and SeeByte have teamed up to incorporate mine hunting sensor data collected by the AQS-24B autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) into the SeeTrack system to enhance its autonomous target recognition (ATR) capability. “The merging of the unmanned surface vessel-based AQS-24B with the
The Croatian Navy is preparing to deploy one of its vessels to NATO’s Mediterranean Sea operation Sea Guardian this year. While Croatian Navy vessels took part in NATO drills in the past, including Trident Juncture in 2015, the announced deployment would be the first time for a Croatian Navy vessel
The US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson has visited Norway and the UK to strengthen maritime partnerships and international relationships. While in Norway from June. 24 to 26, Richardson was hosted by his counterpart, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy Rear Adm. Nils Andreas Stens
The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) system has successfully passed its Defense Acquisition Board review and achieved milestone C, missile developer Lockheed Martin has announced. The signed acquisition decision memorandum approves the JAGM system to enter into low-rate initial production (LRIP).
The US State Department has approved a potential sale of five Aegis shipsets for the Spanish Navy’s new F-110 frigates. A contract for the construction of five frigates is expected to be awarded this year and Navantia is already working on some elements of the ships’ systems and design. The potentia
Over fifty ships and submarines from 26 nations gathered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam for the start of the world’s largest naval drill – RIMPAC 2018 – which kicked off June 27. Taking place in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California, the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise is s
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) returned to operations after concluding a four-day port visit to Marseille, France, on June 25. While in Marseille, Truman sailors welcomed more than 150 French guests aboard for a reception, June 23, including US Ambassador to the French Republi
