Navy News

The U.S. Navy on Friday celebrated the keel laying of the lead ship of the Constellation class of guided-missile frigates, the future USS Constellation (FFG 62), at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wis.Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti participated in the ceremony along with Wisconsin governor Tony Evers and Fincantieri Marine Group CEO Marco Galbiati.Hundreds of FMM shipbuilders gathered with guests inside the shipyard’s massive new climate-controlled Building 34…

Here’s some good news for America’s sea power. While the U.S. Navy has initiated another review of its 30-year shipbuilding plan in the face of widespread dissatisfaction, one element within that plan has been praised: the decision to provide funding for continued construction of amphibious warfare ships. These vessels offer unmatched flexibility and the capability of transporting, deploying, and supporting ground combat forces – typically U.S. Marine Corps – to conduct amphibious assaults, humanitarian operations, or disaster relief missions.

Austal USA earlier this month celebrated the start of construction on the first of three LCU 1710 Landing Craft Utility vessels for the U.S. Navy at the company’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard.Austal USA, a subsidiary if the Australian shipbuilding group Austal, was awarded a US$91.5 million (A$143.4 million) contract in September 2023 that includes three LCU 1710 vessels and associated support efforts.Austal CEO Paddy Gregg said the start of construction on Austal USA’s latest steel…

HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division has completed the dry dock portion of the refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74).Following the recent flooding of more than 100 million gallons of water into the dry dock, USS John C. Stennis was moved to an outfitting berth at the shipyard, where the remainder of the RCOH work and testing will be completed.During the dry dock phase of the RCOH, USS John C. Stennis received significant upgrades and began an extensive overhaul process, both inside and outside the ship.

A British Royal Navy ship will supply aid to Gaza as part of an international effort to help set up a new humanitarian maritime corridor in early May, the foreign office and ministry of defence said on Saturday.The multinational effort, involving the United States, Cyprus and other partners, will develop a new temporary pier off the coast of Gaza, British foreign minister David Cameron said."The situation in Gaza is dire and the prospect of famine is real. We remain committed to getting aid to those who so desperately need it…

Damen Naval has contracted RENK to supply the gearbox systems for the new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates.The Dutch shipyard is building four new frigates, two each for the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Belgian navy.The contract includes eight gearboxes that are part of the CODLAD (COmbined Diesel-eLectric And Diesel) propulsion system.RENK's Dutch subsidiary Schelde Gears will provide support in design and service activities.The first gearboxes are due to arrive for installation in October 2025…

Caterpillar Marine announced it is working with Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, engineering and management services, to advance the use of autonomous vessels for naval applications. The initiative supports the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) project.Autonomous unmanned vessels represent an opportunity to protect crews from the inhospitable, dangerous environment encountered at sea. This technological advancement not only promotes safety but also cost savings…

The Indian Navy said it had freed a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel from nine armed pirates in the Arabian Sea on Friday, rescuing its crew unharmed.The fishing vessel, Al-Kambar 786, was southwest of the Yemeni island of Socotra on March 28 when it was reported to have been boarded by pirates, according to a statement from the navy late on Friday.The ship was intercepted by the INS Sumedha and INS Trishul, leading to "over 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures" forcing the pirates to surrender…

Several Russian warships have passed the Bab al-Mandab Strait into the Red Sea, the Russian navy's Pacific Fleet said on Thursday, amid attacks by Yemen's Houthis on merchant shipping.The Zvezda TV channel, owned by the defense ministry, quoted the fleet as saying the Russian cruiser Varyag and the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov were taking part in the voyage.(Reuters - Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Mark Heinrich

Fincantieri and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense have signed a contract for the supply of two Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vessel (PPA) units.The $1.27 billion (€1.18 billion) deal is part of the framework of collaborative relations initiated by the Italian Ministry of Defense.A PPA is a highly flexible ship with an outstanding technological standard. It has the capacity to serve multiple functions, ranging from patrol with sea rescue capacity to Civil Protection operations and first line fighting vessel.The vessels to be supplied by Fincantieri will be 143 meters long overall…

The presidents of France and Brazil on Wednesday launched a submarine built in the South American country with French technology in a program that aims to build Brazil's first nuclear-powered submarine by the end of the decade.Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended a ceremony in the Itaguai shipyard near Rio de Janeiro, launching the third diesel-powered submarine built in a $10 billion partnership.Brazil first lady Janja da Silva smashed a champagne…

A Ukrainian missile attack struck a Russian naval reconnaissance vessel and a large landing warship that Moscow captured from Kyiv during the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, Ukraine's navy said on Tuesday.Ukraine hit the vessels during an attack on Crimea at the weekend, the navy said.

New Zealand said on Monday it will dispatch defense personnel, helicopters and a naval ship to the Solomon Islands to assist in a national election due next month, where relations with China will be a key issue.The deployment is part of a NZ$10.8 million ($6.48 million) support program for the Solomon Islands Electoral Commission announced in January and that will help transport election officers and materials around Pacific Island nations.New Zealand's foreign ministry said the vessel HMNZS Canterbury will leave Auckland on Tuesday to transport two helicopters and crew…

The EU's naval mission in the southern Red Sea said on Thursday it had destroyed three ballistic missiles and a Houthi seaborne drone to protect merchant ships.The EU's mission, known as Aspides, said on social media platform X that a French worship had destroyed the ballistic missiles and a German destroyed the drone, operated by the Iran-aligned Houthis and spotted near commercial vessels.Aspides was launched in February to help protect the key maritime trade route from drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi militia, who say they are retaliating against Israel's war on Gaza.

Bollinger Shipyards announced it has laid the keel for the future USNS Muscogee Creek Nation at its yard in Houma, La.The vessel is the 10th Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ship (T-ATS) and the fifth T-ATS vessel being constructed by Bollinger since acquiring the program in April of 2021.The keel authenticators were the Hon. David W. Hill, Principal Chief of the Muscogee Creek Nation, the Hon. Geri Wisner, Attorney General of the Muscogee Creek Nation and ship sponsor…

The United States' Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, on Monday hosted executives from major ship repair companies at the Pentagon for a roundtable discussion focused on surface ship repair and modernization initiatives.Navy and Marine Corps leaders have expressed that repair process improvements are critical to meeting the needs of worldwide combatant commanders.“The maritime industry is a strategic sector critical to our economic and national security,” said Secretary Del Toro.

Somali police and international navies were preparing on Monday to attack a commercial ship that was hijacked by pirates last week, the Puntland region's police force said, two days after Indian commandos rescued another cargo vessel held by pirates.The MV Abdullah was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week, the latest of more than 20 attacks since November by Somali pirates who had laid dormant for nearly a decade.On Saturday, the Indian navy rescued another cargo vessel, the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen, which had been seized in December, freeing its 17 crew members and arresting 35 pirates.

GE Vernova’s Power Conversion business was awarded a contract by Singapore shipbuilder ST Engineering Marine Limited to supply its Ship’s Electric Grid with Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) equipment for the Republic of Singapore Navy’s six-ship Multi-Role Combat Vessel (MRCV) program.The six MRCVs will be the first IFEP-powered vessels for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and will replace its fleet of mechanical drive Victory-class missile corvettes, which have been in service since 1989. Delivery of the electric propulsion systems for the new ships is planned over the next 10 years.GE Vernova’s Ship’s Electric Grid includes all generators…

Indian naval forces including special commandos seized a cargo vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates, rescuing 17 crew members, a spokesperson for the navy said on Saturday.The navy said in a post on social media platform X that all 35 pirates aboard the ship, the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo vessel Ruen, had surrendered, and the ship had been checked for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband.The Ruen had been hijacked last year and the navy said it had…

Yemen's Houthis said on Friday that the group launched an attack on "Pacific 01" ship in the Red Sea with missiles.Houthis used drones to attack a U.S destroyer, said a statement published by group's military spokesperson.It did not give any evidence of such an attack.(Reuters - Reporting by Mohammad Ghobari and Ahmed Elimam; Editing by Michael Georgy)

The Dutch government on Friday said it had picked French defense company Naval Group to build four new submarines in coming decades in a long-brewing deal seen by politicians as a potential lifeline for the national shipbuilding industry.The government said the first two submarines would be operational within the next 10 years. It did not specify the exact value of the multi-billion euro contract.The submarines will be of a size to both operate in shallow waters and take part in missions far from base.The agreement still has to be approved by the Dutch parliament…

U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has exercised an option with Conrad Shipyard to build another Yard, Repair, Berthing, and Messing (YRBM) barge.The award is a $18,484,619 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded contract for the detail design and construction and  includes exercise of a design changes option.Work will be performed in Amelia, La., and is expected to be completed by June 2025. The new barge will be delivered to Norfolk, Va.The YRBM barge is an ABS A1 Accommodation Barge with a 151’-4” x 49’-4” x 14’ footprint.

Defense company Babcock International has delivered Type 23 frigate HMS St. Albans back to the Royal Navy for sea trials three months ahead of the planned schedule, following a refit operation.Once the current sea trials are completed, HMS St. Albans, with her 178-strong crew, will return to sea as the most advanced, equipped, and capable Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy’s fleet, boasting next-generation weapons systems and radar, according to Babcock.During her time in dock…