The Royal Australian Navy has retired the Seahawk helicopter ‘Skeletor’ after more than 28 years of service and a career logging 6,200 airframe hours. Navy took the opportunity to retire the anti-submarine helicopter S-70B-2, serial N24-011 during HMAS Arunta’s recent maintenance period in Bahrain w
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems Land & Armaments a $40 million contract ordering more Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) canisters for its guided missile cruisers and destroyers. The contract modification also includes orders for ally navy platforms. Mk 41 VLS is used to l
The U.S. Navy wants to increase the anti-air warfare capabilities of the future frigate and is looking at having more than the current two hull designs for consideration, according to several media reports. The new plans would break away from previous ones that included simply up-gunning and up-sizi
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair a $19.4 million contract to perform post shakedown availability (PSA) work on the U.S. Navy’s two new Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers. The contract will see BAE Systems perform maintenance and eventual rep
Japan Maritime Self Defense Force ships might join the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson for naval drills as the group of ships centered around the aircraft carrier heads for the Korean Peninsula. Japan would dispatch its destroyers when the U.S. ships enter the East China Sea, Reuters re
U.S. defense contractor Raytheon announced it has tested a new electric gun for the Phalanx close-in weapon system. The company said the new upgrade allowed soldiers and sailors to fire at varying rates, which uses less ammunition. The goal of the live-fire test was to ensure the electric gun can op
Russian shipbuilder Zvezdochka (Star) completed overhaul works on the Russian Navy’s Project 949A Oscar-class submarine ‘Orel’ and sent the boat from its shipyard back to the Northern Fleet’s Zapadnaya Litsa naval base. Orel started her voyage from Severodvinsk on April 6 and reached Zapadnaya Litsa
U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) completed ballistic missile defense (BMD) certification on April 5, off the coast of Southern California as part of deployment preparations. The goal of BMD is to use surveillance and interception techniques to defend the U.S
U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the Eisenhower carrier strike group have been ready to deploy on short notice ever since they returned from their 2016 deployment. Now, approximately 6,000 sailors are conducting a sustainment exercise (SUSTEX) to maintain their readiness and capability to deploy should
The Finnish Defence Forces’ Logistics Command announced the names of three shortlisted combat system bidders for its Squadron 2020 project vessels. Of a total of 8 companies competing for the contract, Finland has chosen German Atlas Elektronik GmbH, the Canadian Lockheed Martin Canada Inc and the S
A Royal Navy Lynx Mk 8 helicopter recently performed air carriage and jettison trials of the MBDA-made Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile. According to the missile manufacturer, the trials proved that the missile can be integrated onto the Lynx and Super Lynx helicopters. Sea Venom/ANL has been develop
The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific ordered the U.S. Navy’s Carl Vinson carrier strike group to change course and head towards the Korean Peninsula in response to North Korea’s advancing weapons tests. The change of direction was announced on Saturday by the U.S. Pacific Command after the sh
Royal Australian Navy’s Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat departed Western Australia on April 3 kicking off a deployment to the South East Asia. Upgraded with anti-ship missile defense, the frigate departed navy base HMAS Stirling under the command of Commander David Landon. During her time in South
The U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship, USS America (LHA 6), destroyed a drone in a live-fire exercise using its ship self-defense Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) system on April 6. The live-fire exercise was part of an Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Integration
