The Royal Navy’s new test and trials ship entered HM Naval Base Portsmouth for the first time on 27 July 2022. Named XV Patrick Blackett during a ceremony two days later, the vessel is due to begin its career as a platform for trials and autonomy development later in 2022. Built by Damen Shipyards by […]
China’s new aircraft carrier Fujian is a great leap forward in a number of respects, but the conventionally powered vessel does not match the capability of the US Navy’s flat tops. Fujian (a Type 003) is larger than its predecessors, but is also conventionally powered, so although it is closer in size to US Navy […]
June 2022 saw Huntington Ingalls Industries (HHI) successfully demonstrate the ability of an amphibious warship to launch, operate with and recover a large-diameter unmanned underwater vehicles (LDUUV). The research and development initiative between HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding and mission technologies divisions is one of a portfolio of internal research and development efforts aimed at advance new […]
General Dynamics Electric Boat conducted a keel-laying ceremony for the first Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarine, USS District of Columbia (SSBN 826) at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, on 4 June 2022. District of Columbia will be the first of a 12-boat class, which will replace 14 US Navy Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic submarines from 2027 onwards. The transition […]
But not without design and operational adaptations Low carbon fuels and pathways to decarbonise shipping have become a major topic of conversation. In the naval sphere, the discussion is only now getting going, but a study by BMT in the UK suggests that, as in the commercial sector, methanol could offer a way forward. In […]
(images: Simon McDonnell) Since 1967, South Africa’s volunteer-run National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has been saving lives in both its coastal and inland waters, operating from base stations along the SA coastline and on inland dams, 24/7. In addition to this superb work, the charity is proactive in educating the public – and especially […]
The Republic of Ireland is acquiring two decommissioned Lake-class inshore patrol vessels (IPVs) from New Zealand as part of wider plans to modernise and rebalance the Irish Naval Service fleet. Separately, the Irish government has reaffirmed its plans to proceed with the acquisition of a new Multi Role Vessel (MRV) able to deliver a flexible […]
Spanish shipbuilding and systems group Navantia has delivered the first of five Avante 2200 corvettes built for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under a contract signed in 2018. HMS Al Jubail was handed over and commissioned into the Royal Saudi Naval Forces at La Carraca naval base in San Fernando, Cádiz. The ship and its […]
Babcock International, the UK-based aerospace, defence and security company, has been selected as the platform design provider and technology partner for Poland’s ‘MIECZNIK’ (Swordfish) new frigate programme. In March 2022, the company concluded a set of strategic cooperation agreements with the PGZ-MIECZNIK consortium, which is responsible for delivery of the project from the Polish side. […]
French designer and shipbuilder Naval Group is to provide three ‘FDI’ vessels to the Hellenic Navy, with a suite of above- and underwater sensors from Thales Group. Greece and Naval Group signed a contract for the frigates, plus one optional unit, along with an in-service support package for the vessels in March 2022. Two frigates […]
Warship Technology March 2022
USNS John Lewis (TAO 205), the lead ship in a class of new fleet replenishment oilers for the US Navy, has completed initial builder’s trials. The trials were initiated on 4 February 2022.
Warship Technology March 2022
The keel for the future USNS Cody, Expeditionary Fast Transport Ship (EPF 14), the first of the Spearhead class EPF Flight II configuration, was laid at Austal USA on 26 January 2022.