Trials of the largest uncrewed aircraft ever launched from a UK Royal Navy aircraft carrier could pave the way for the next generation of UK naval air power. The specially modified aircraft – operated remotely by a ‘pilot’ at a computer terminal, codenamed ‘Mojave’ – took off and landed safely on HMS Prince of Wales […]
Much has been accomplished since the US, UK and Australia announced plans to develop a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines together, but much more remains to be done, as a November 2023 report published by the House of Commons Library explains. The report details many of the challenges facing the AUKUS nuclear submarine programme […]
By Dr Marco J Cianni, FRINA, FIEAust., FRSA HMS Ark Royal was the former flagship of the Royal Navy and the third and final vessel of the Invincible-Class aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 1985 with a complement of 685 crew, 366 fleet air arm and 22 aircraft. At 210 metres in length, a beam […]
JFD’s latest submarine rescue system is designed for accelerated mobilisation, optimised transportability, improved configurability and greater versatility, writes David Foxwell Subsea engineering and services group JFD has unveiled a fourth-generation submarine rescue system conceived to afford reduced response time and a high level of mobilisation flexibility. Developed in order to simplify transportation and improve system […]
The US Coast Guard (USCG) accepted delivery of the 54th fast response cutter (FRC), William Sparling, on 20 July 2023 in Key West, Florida. William Sparling will be the fifth FRC to be homeported in Boston. The USCG has ordered 65 FRCs to date. Fifty-two are in service: 13 in Florida; seven in Puerto Rico; […]
The US Coast Guard (USCG) cutter Harriet Lane departed the Coast Guard yard in Baltimore on 3 August 2023, after undergoing 15 months of in-service vessel sustainment work. The service-life extension programme for the cutter entailed 113 work items, worth US$21 million, which included a new electrical system and an Mk38 Mod 3 gun weapon […]
Construction started on the sixth Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB), the future USNS Hector A Cafferata Jr (ESB 8) at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (GD NASSCO) on 8 August 2023. ESBs are designed to be flexible and used in a range of military operations supporting multiple operational phases, similar to the Expeditionary Transfer […]
Seismic mitigation efforts, which began in February 2023 on the Trident Refit Facility at Delta Pier in Bangor dry dock, have been completed. In January 2023, the US Navy restricted submarines from entering certain dry docks in the Pacific Northwest (both at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility and Trident Refit Facility – […]
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is to acquire a new generation of smart sea mines, which will significantly enhance its mining capability. The mines will be deployable from submarines, ships and aircraft. Following evaluation of market options last year, the Defence Force selected RWM Italia to provide the capability under a multimillion-dollar contract. RWM Italia […]
The US Navy named the first Navajo-class towing, salvage and rescue ship, USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6), in a ceremony on 26 August 2023 in Houma, Louisiana. The future USNS Navajo will be operated by the Military Sealift Command. The vessels will replace the existing Powhatan-class T-ATF fleet ocean tugs and Safeguard-class T-ARS rescue and salvage […]
A composite cutting ceremony was held on 15 August 2023 at Saab’s site in Karlskrona in Sweden for the first of four masts for the Finnish Navy’s new Pohjanmaa-class vessels. The masts are manufactured in the same composite material used for the Swedish Navy’s Visby-class corvettes. In September 2019, Saab signed a contract to provide […]
Thales Australia says work is underway to develop a masterplan for the company’s Carrington site in order to establish a ‘Maritime Autonomy and SME Collaboration Precinct’ to support the Royal Australian Navy’s Mine Countermeasures and Military Survey Capability SEA1905-1 programme, should Thales be selected to participate in it. For more than 30 years, the Carrington […]