Combat Readiness News

Chinese state media unveiled new images of China's most advanced aircraft carrier yet, including next generation launch tracks that can catapult a wider range of aircraft from its deck.First shown to the public in June 2022, the Fujian was entirely designed and built domestically.Yet to conduct its first sea trials, the aircraft carrier is larger and technologically more advanced than the Shandong, commissioned in 2019, and the Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted domestically.On state television late on Tuesday…

Russia will conduct missile launches and torpedo tests as part of a surprise inspection of its Pacific naval fleet, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.The drills come amid heightened tension in the Asia-Pacific region, as the United States and South Korea conduct joint air exercises following an intercontinental ballistic missile test by North Korea."The main objective of this inspection is to increase the ability of the Armed Forces to repel the aggression of a probable enemy from the direction of ocean and sea…

Chinese warplanes and navy ships were still in the waters around Taiwan, the island's defense ministry said on Tuesday after the end of three days of war games, as Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen criticized Beijing for its "irresponsible" behavior.China began the exercises on Saturday after Tsai returned to Taipei following a meeting in Los Angeles with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy.China, which warned the U.S. not to allow Tsai to visit or meet McCarthy, has never renounced the use of force to bring the democratically governed island under Beijing's control.

The United States has approved a possible $120 million sale of parts to help Taiwan maintain its warships, which the island's defense ministry said would help ensure combat readiness in the face of China's "frequent activities" near the island.The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said it had delivered the required certification notifying Congress following State Department approval for the sale, which was requested by Taiwan's de facto embassy in Washington.It said the sale covered unclassified spare and repair parts for ships and ship systems, logistical technical assistance, and U.S.

Russian warships entered the Barents Sea on Wednesday to rehearse protecting a major shipping lane in the Arctic, its Northern Fleet said on Wednesday, as Moscow stages sweeping military exercises involving all of its fleets.Russian military moves are being closely watched by the West at a time when a troop build-up near its border with Ukraine has sparked fears of a conflict. Moscow has denied it plans to launch an attack on Ukraine.Moscow said last week it would stage a series of drills involving all its fleets in the seas directly adjacent to Russia.

On any given day, the U.S. aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman can be found off the Atlantic coast of the United States, probably somewhere between Virginia and Florida. Its crew would love to come home to their families. But they can’t. They’re just too valuable right now.That’s because the Truman is a “clean” ship, free from the coronavirus thanks to a longer-than-expected deployment at sea that started in November. The deployment has kept its battle-ready 4,500 crew out of reach…

Cox Powertrain, the British developer and manufacturer of high-powered diesel outboards, is reporting the successful completion of the first round of in-field outboard validation tests by the US Navy.Following the trial of two CXO300s aboard a 9m RIB last week, when the engines achieved a cruise speed of 43 knots at 3,600 rpm, Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) testers expressed great enthusiasm and excitement about their performance.The US Navy has been exploring the use of technologically advanced engines in an effort to improve combat readiness, crew safety and equipment supportability.

Dozens of Chinese naval vessels are exercising this week with an aircraft carrier in a large show of force off Hainan island in the South China Sea, satellite images obtained by Reuters show. The images, provided by Planet Labs Inc, confirm a Chinese carrier group has entered the vital trade waterway as part of what the Chinese navy earlier described as combat drills that were part of routine annual exercises. The Liaoning carrier group last week traversed the Taiwan Strait, according to the Taiwanese defense ministry.

HMAS Ballarat has sailed into her home port of Fleet Base West in Rockingham, Western Australia, to a large gathering of family and friends after completing a three month deployment to South East Asia and; participating in Exercise TALISMAN SABER off the Australian coast. The deployment, which began in early April, was part of the Australian Government’s efforts to promote regional stability and improve interoperability between regional partners and included port visits to Zhanjiang, Singapore, Sattahip, Bangkok, Da Nang and Kota Kinabalu. Ballarat’s Commanding Officer, Commander Paul Johnson said that the deployment facilitated great opportunities to enhance the Royal Australian Navy’s interoperability with regional partners…

Australia's largest military exercise, Talisman Saber, was officially opened on 29 June aboard the United States Landing Helicopter Dock Bonhomme Richard off the Sydney coast. Minister for Urban Development, the Honourable Paul Fletcher MP, representing the Minister for Defence, and the US Charge d'Affaires, Mr James Carouso, officially announced the start of the combined military exercise taking place thorought July. Field training will occur in Shoalwater Bay Training Area, near Rockhampton and Mount Bundy Training Area, south of Darwin. The Minister was joined by the US Pacific Forces Commander, Admiral Harry Harris, Jr and Officer Conducting the Exercise, Australia's Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral David Johnston along with other senior Australian Defence Force leaders.

Australia's HMAS Ballarat has completed a port visit to Sepanggar, Malaysia as part of a three month South East Asia deployment. She was in the region to enagage with the Royal Malaysian Navy, and load supplies before she returns to Australia for further exercises. Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral David Johnston, said Ballarat’s deployment provided an opportunity to engage with many nations in South East Asia. “Our enduring military to military engagement activities contribute to security and stability in our region,” he said. HMAS Ballarat will join Exercise Talisman Sabre in the coming weeks. Talisman Sabre is a biennial combined Australian and United States training activity…

Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) embarked ships of the Indian Fleet (both Western & Eastern) over the last two days to review the ongoing Annual Theatre Level Readiness and Operational Exercise (TROPEX) 2017 which is presently underway since 24 January 2017. The CNS was accompanied by General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff and Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. The CNS witnessed a host of exercises viz. Gunnery shoots, Surface to Air missile engagements, Brahmos firing and operations of the combined Fleet in a complex multi threat environment including sub surface and air threats.

The Indian Navy’s Annual Theatre Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX) got underway on 24 Jan 17. The month long exercise will have ships and aircraft of both the Western and Eastern Naval Commands, as also assets from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and the Indian Coast Guard exercising together. The exercise is being conducted off the Western Seaboard. The last edition of the exercise was conducted in January 2015. TROPEX has grown in scale and complexity over the years and will see participation of major surface combatants and air assets of the Indian Navy including the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya, nuclear submarine Chakra, Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Jalashwa…

One of the Royal Australian Navy’s largest maritime warfare exercises has begun in several locations off the New South Wales coast. Exercise OCEAN RAIDER involves 11 warships and submarines, aircraft and more than 1,500 personnel from Australia and the United States in a three week program of maritime activities. It is the first year Navy has staged OCEAN RAIDER, which along with OCEAN EXPLORER and OCEAN HORIZON are designed to train and certify the fleet in task-group-level joint sea combat. Commander of the Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer said Navy’s aim was to generate and deploy self-supported, sustainable maritime task groups by 2018 and OCEAN RAIDER was an important step toward achieving that goal.

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) integrated a system of systems operability testing (SOT) capability for combatant ships onboard USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54), which just completed an availability and sea trial period utilizing the new SOT combat readiness testing, March 6. SOTs are part of ensuring interdependent command and control systems work seamlessly. Combat systems command and control is referred to as C5I and encompasses everything C4I (command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence) does, but includes combat systems. SPAWAR Fleet Readiness Directorate (FRD) along with associated Program Executive Offices (PEOs) oversee many of these C4I and C5I systems onboard Navy ships…

Russian President Vladimir Putin put the nation’s northern fleet on full alert in the Arctic Ocean this week, as the U.S. and several Eastern European NATO countries conduct a series of military exercises near Russia's border. According to the ministry, the operational zone of Russian warships during the exercises will be expanded to several areas of the Norwegian Sea. The order issued on Monday allows for the mobilization of 38,000 military personnel, 3,360 pieces of equipment, 41 ships, 15 submarines and 110 airplanes, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. This was followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to bring the country’s Northern Fleet to full alert in a snap combat readiness exercise.

Russian naval units are conducting a defense drill in the Barents Sea, which Russia shares with Norway, involving more than 20 vessels from the country’s Baltic Fleet, as part of the Russian Northern Fleet exercises. The press service of Russia’s Western Military District said in a statement that various ships of the auxiliary fleet, diesel-electric submarines, small missile and anti-submarine boats are participating in the drill. The ‘strike and search group’, as the Russian Ministry of Defence referred to it, from the navy’s Northern Fleet comprised of Tu-142 ‘Bear’ naval aviation reconnaissance bombers and Il-38 ‘Dolphin’ maritime patrol jets as well as two small anti-submarine ships and support vessels.

American Systems, a provider of federal IT and engineering solutions, announced that it was awarded a Department of Navy (DoN) Commander Naval Surface Forces Pacific (CNSP) Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center contract valued up to $23.5 million. In winning this contract award, American Systems will continue supporting the Engineering Readiness Assist Teams (ERATs) program. This program was established to assist U.S. Navy sailors in engineering, combat systems, and deck departments increase their operational, repair and maintenance knowledge, and combat readiness through a unique and realistic training approach.

HMS Dragon is the fourth of six Type 45 destroyers being built for the Royal Navy. All will be based in Portsmouth. The first, HMS Daring, was commissioned in July 2009 and the fifth, Defender, is due to arrive in Portsmouth for the first time this summer. All six are scheduled to be in service by the middle of the decade. Hundreds of guests including families of the 190-strong ship's company attended a colourful 'christening' ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base which marked the ship's transition into front line service.

U.S. Naval War College (NWC) leaders and alumni received a warm welcome on Capitol Hill, Oct. 7 during a congressional breakfast organized by Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed. The event offered a chance for members of Congress and their staff to hear details of how NWC educates and develops leaders, strengthens global maritime partnerships and supports Navy missions and combat readiness. "The war college is an extraordinary asset to the nation and the Navy," Reed noted. "[The value] is not just the instruction in the classroom, it's the war gaming and bringing together individuals from across the government and the nation to talk about critical issues. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John M.

Saudi Arabia began naval war games including live fire exercises on Tuesday in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, the world's most important oil route, official media reported, a move that coincides with heightened tensions with regional rival Iran. Warships, speedboats, air navy aircraft, Marine Corps and special security naval units took part, state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said. Live ammunition was fired during activities. The manoeuvres are aimed at testing combat readiness "in preparation for the protection of the marine interests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia against any possible aggression," reported SPA quoting commander of the exercises, Rear Admiral Majed bin Hazza'a Al-Qahtani. The drill is also being conducted in the Sea of Oman, SPA reported.

The Navy announced on September 8 its decision to deepen approximately five miles of the Norfolk Harbor Channel in the Elizabeth River. This action will allow the continuous safe and expeditious travel of aircraft carriers to and from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) and the Lamberts Point Deperming Station. Dredging this heavily-used waterway, which is the federal navigation channel within the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Chesapeake, would occur from the Lamberts Point Deperming Station in the Lamberts Bend Reach, south to NNSY in the Lower Reach. Dredging would occur completely within the existing Army Corps of Engineers-maintained federal navigation channel.

USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) will arrive at the Port of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 20, for a final visit that includes a decommissioning ceremony Jan. 23. USS Los Angeles departed Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Jan. 14, and is stopping in Los Angeles en route to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard for inactivation. The visit will include participation by the crew in numerous public events ongoing throughout the weekend. The Jan. 23 decommissioning ceremony will feature many former Los Angeles crewmembers, former Los Angeles Commanding Officer Rear Adm. (ret) John Shipway, Commodore of Submarine Squadron One Capt. Stan Robertson, Representative for the U.S. 46th District Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, and Los Angeles City Councilwoman Janice Hahn.