The US Navy has officially started Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2018 in the Arctic Ocean. The exercise was kicked off with the construction of temporary Ice Camp Skate and the arrival of two US Navy fast-attack submarines and one UK Royal Navy submarine on March 7. ICEX 2018 is a five-week biennial exercise
US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrived off the coast of Israel on March 6 to take part in exercise Juniper Cobra 2018. Although Iwo Jima and the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will not participate directly in the ballistic missile defense portion of
US Navy ships from the USS Essex (LHD 2) amphibious ready group (ARG) got underway from Naval Base San Diego on March 5 to start the first Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercise conducted by an ARG. The exercise is focused on advanced tactical training at sea to improve warfight
Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Kaha has arrived in Canada where she will undergo combat management system upgrades at Seaspan’s shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia. The 25-day passage to British Columbia was marked by a brief port visit in Hawaii’s Pearl Harbor where Te Kaha and her crew
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departed the Black Sea on March 3, after conducting maritime security operations. The US Navy vessel entered the Black Sea in February 2018, joining sister ship USS Ross. Carney’s crew visited Varna for a scheduled port visit to st
Turkish defense contractor STM announced it has been awarded a contract to modernize a second Pakistan Navy Agosta 90B submarine. The contract signing ceremony took place March 1 at the premises of Pakistan defense ministry’s procurement agency. The contract for the modernization of the first submar
The Indian navy’s Western Naval Command wrapped up a large scale operational exercise in the Arabian Sea. Dubbed ‘Paschim Leher’ (XPL), the three week long exercise is designed to test the operational readiness of the Western Naval Command and the execution of it’s operational plans. Over 40 naval a
US Navy’s San Diego-based Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105) visited Sasebo, Japan, on February 28 to discuss its upcoming integration into a new and improved type of patrol the navy intends to undertake. While in port, Dewey’s leadership and tactical watchstanders met
The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $24.3 contract modification for the low rate initial production of the subsonic aerial target BQM-177A and technical data. Kratos is to deliver a total of 30 BQM-177A targets, 30 radar altimeters, technical manuals, traini
Royal Australian Navy’s amphibious ship HMAS Canberra tested its anti-ship missile defense off the south coast of New South Wales as part of exercise Ocean Explorer. Upgrades to the Nulka anti-ship missile decoy system have been tested with the use of civilian aircraft including an underslung Nulka
Turkey’s Gölcük shipyard hosted a keel laying ceremony on February 25 to officially mark the start of construction works on the Turkish Navy’s third Reis-class (Type 214) submarine. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım joined the ceremony and performed the ceremonial first weld. The third submarin
A three-nation carrier strike group assembled around aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) welcomed the US Navy secretary for a visit during final deployment preparations. Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), Richard V. Spencer, landed aboard the USS Harry S. Truman Feb. 25, during the group’s co
The lead ship of the US Navy’s Virginia-class fast attack submarines returned to her New London homeport in Connecticut following a six-month deployment to Europe. USS Virginia (SSN 774) was welcomed to the base on February 22 . During the deployment, Virginia steamed approximately 27,500 nautical m
Future FGS Sachsen Anhalt, the German Navy’s third F125 class frigate, set sail for first time on February 22 for a series of in-port trials. During the next two weeks, shipbuilders and navy officials will test the ship’s technical systems and equipment, including its propulsion system, maneuvering
