Combat Systems News

In October, a German navy ship completed sensor accuracy testing at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) for the first time, marking a milestone for both Germany and NATO’s long-running Fleet Operational Readiness Accuracy Check Sites (FORACS) program.The combat oiler Federal German Ship (FGS) Berlin (A 1411) arrived in the U.S. as part of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary celebrations, but the visit also…

Four major defense companies have proposed the establishment of an AUKUS Combat Systems Collaborative Team in contemplation of a potential role for Australia’s SSN-AUKUS conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines, under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed Wednesday, November 5.BAE Systems, Raytheon Australia, General Dynamics Mission Systems and Thales propose to lead the design and lay the foundations for manufacture and integration of combat systems for SSN-AUKUS under agreements to be negotiated with the Commonwealth of Australia and United Kingdom government.

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully completed the second builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), building on the success of the initial trials conducted at the end of September.The Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) destroyer spent multiple days in the Gulf of America testing the ship’s main propulsion, combat systems, and other critical systems in preparation for the future acceptance trials.During the trials, the Ingalls and Navy team completed additional hull, mechanical, electrical and combat systems tests.

HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division successfully completed builder’s sea trials for guided missile destroyer Ted Stevens (DDG 128), marking a major milestone in the construction of the second Flight III destroyer built at Ingalls.The trials were conducted over several days in the Gulf of America, and tested the ship’s engineering, navigation, and combat systems to ensure readiness for the future acceptance trials and eventual delivery to the U.S. Navy.During builder’s trials, the Ingalls test and trials team completed a full range of hull…

Business Korea reports that Hanwha Ocean plans to invest an additional minimum of $70 million in Philly Shipyard.The aim is to increase productivity to 10 ships per year by 2035, up from the current rate of 1 to 1.5 ships per year.Hanwha Ocean acquired Philly Shipyard in December last year for $100 million and renamed it Hanwha Philly Shipyard.Hanwha seeks to build on the success of Philly Shipyard, established in 1997, that delivered around 50% of all large ocean-going U.S. Jones Act commercial ships since 2000…

General Dynamics' second-quarter profit and revenue topped analyst estimates, driven by robust orders in its marine segment from Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine programs, boosting shares 5% in early trading.The defense company's nuclear-powered submarine-making marine systems segment produced 22.2% more revenue. The unit is now expected to generate 2025 revenue of $15.6 billion with a 7% margin.During the quarter, the Pentagon modified a submarine production contract awarded to the company's marine segment…

For the U.S. Navy, boats perform missions from mundane maintenance chores such as hull scraping and cleaning overboard discharges to clandestine special forces insertion and extraction. Some boats are about as basic as you can imagine, and some are equipped with sophisticated combat systems and weapons. Big or small, they all perform indispensable tasks for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.Boats that are carried on and launched from ships are referred to as “shipboard boats,” to distinguish them from boats based at installations ashore.

During his visit to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport on May 19, Executive Director Mike McClatchey, a member of the Senior Executive Service, Program Executive Office, Undersea Warfare Systems (PEO UWS), emphasized the critical role the submarine platform and warfare center play in safeguarding our country.“The submarine is our nation’s vanguard, and it is the most important platform to strategic deterrence,” McClatchey said. “The submarine force and the undersea domain are what makes our adversaries say…

EDGE, a global technology and defense group, and CMN NAVAL, a naval shipbuilding group specializing in the design, engineering, and construction of naval and commercial vessels and mega yachts, agreed to create a new Abu Dhabi-based shipbuilding joint venture (JV) named AD NAVAL (ADN). Leveraging an existing order pipeline worth approximately EUR 7 billion, the JV will bring together both companies under an exclusivity agreement on the segment of high value small to mid-size naval vessels including Corvettes…

Stephen O’Grady, of East Providence, Rhode Island, has been selected as the next deputy technical director for technical excellence at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport.Formerly the director of technology and strategy for the Undersea Warfare (USW) Combat Systems Department, O’Grady spearheaded the organization’s product vision. He will replace John Babb, who will retire in April.As deputy technical director, O’Grady will oversee the warfare center’s chief engineer, chief technology officer, quality assurance team and others.

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction (HJSC) said it won an order for four additional Navy patrol boats, signing a $180.9M contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to build four new high-speed patrol boats (Geomdoksuri-B Batch-II, hulls 9–12) for the ROK Navy. The new boats will replace the aging Chamsuri-class patrol boats, outfitted with the latest combat systems, anti-missile decoy systems, and remote fire control, these new boats offer significantly enhanced firepower…

Combat Support Ship (CSS) Den Helder (A834) arrived in Vlissingen this morning after successfully completing her maiden voyage and sea trials.The new supply ship for the Royal Netherlands Navy departed from the Damen Naval shipyard in Galați, Romania on 16 November for her Sea Acceptance Tests (SATs) and is now in Vlissingen-Oost for the final outfitting phase of the project. In the coming months, the finishing work will be carried out before the CSS is handed over to the Netherlands…

About 10,000 Sailors served aboard 130 landing craft support (LCS) ships during World War II. The last two surviving LCS Sailors, J. William Middendorf II and Eddy Desmond, visited NUWC Division Newport to share their stories with a full audience in Chafee Auditorium on Nov. 18.Middendorf and Desmond were the most prominent members of a panel, which also included Dr. Christopher Lehman, national security and naval warfare expert; Christine Pitts, granddaughter of U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr.

Eureka Naval Craft is introducing its suite of high-speed AIRCAT (air cushion catamarans) surface effect ships (SES), already in use with the offshore energy industry, to the defense market.According to Bo Jardine, CEO of Eureka Naval Craft, a newly formed U.S.-based naval defense company, the versatile suite of AIRCAT naval vessels can serve as a patrol craft, rescue craft, medical evacuation vessels, heavily armed small combatants and landing craft.The AIRCAT SES has both an air cushion…

The U.S. Navy announced it has accepted delivery of the second-to-last Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the future USS Beloit (LCS 29), from Lockheed Martin at the Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wis, on September 30.The 15th Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship and the 29th in the LCS class, Beloit is the first Navy warship named in honor of the city of Beloit, Wis.“Beloit is another shining example of what it means to finish strong,” said Capt. Matthew Lehmann, program manager of the Littoral Combat Ship program office.

The efficacy of surface preparation and coating application in the new construction shipbuilding industry is fundamentally anchored in a well-coordinated, integrated approach. This intricate process, essential for achieving top-tier corrosion control, is methodically segmented into five crucial stages:Raw material entryPainting the modulesSmall partsPainting of erection joints at the module levelFinal paint and ship's completion. Each stage is crucial in its own right but achieves…

With the rise of China and her global ambitions, the military importance of Guam in the Indo-Pacific theater has become apparent. The force levels on the island had drawn down from a peak of about 26,000 at the height of the Vietnam War to a tenth of that—just 2,500 people in the early 2000s. Today, that's changing. Guam's defense posture is growing.Guam's proximity to major population centers in East Asia underscores its strategic importance. The island is just 1,400 miles from Tokyo, Manilla or Port Moresby. All of the armed services have a presence on Guam.

HII announced its Ingalls Shipbuilding division was awarded a $10.5 million contract for the modernization period planning of Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) and USS Michael Monsoor (DDG 1001).Zumwalt-class destroyers feature a state-of-the-art electric propulsion system, wave-piercing tumblehome hull, stealth design and are equipped with advanced warfighting technology and weaponry. These ships will be capable of performing a range of deterrence…

Saab has signed an agreement with FMV on the life extension of two Koster-class mine countermeasures ships. The order value is SEK 350 million. The contract also includes options for FMV to order measures regarding the remaining three ships in the Koster-class. The total value of the options are SEK 270 million.The contract with FMV means that Saab will carry out life extensions of two Koster-class mine countermeasures ships. The modernization involves an exchange of systems for life extension and enhanced capabilities to ensure continued operability.

The Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer - The world’s most successful post-war surface combatantsThe USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) class of guided missile destroyers can rightfully be called the most successful class of surface combatants in the post-World War II era. The lead ship was commissioned in 1991, and the Navy is still building them at Huntington Ingalls Industries Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss., and General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. A total of 89 have been procured through FY2022…

“If we desire to secure peace,” President George Washington once observed, “it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.” During the late 1790s, the U.S. government commissioned naval engineers and shipbuilders to design and build large warships capable of agile maneuvering and stowing an excess amount of weapons.With the passing of the Naval Act of 1794, Washington secured the authorization to procure the Navy’s first six frigates – a wooden-hulled, three-masted warship with either a 38 or 44-gun capability.

The future USS Carl M. Levin (DDG 120) completed acceptance trials on December 9, returning to General Dynamics Corp’s Bath Iron Works (BIW) Bath shipyard after spending two days at sea.During acceptance trials, the ship and its crew performed a series of demonstrations for review by the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV). These demonstrations are used by INSURV to validate the quality of construction and compliance with Navy specifications and requirements prior to delivery of the ship to the U.S. Navy.

 Saudi Arabia's defense ministry signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Spanish state-owned Navantia company on Wednesday to build multi-mission combat ships for the Saudi Navy, the Saudi state news agency (SPA) reported early on Thursday."The MoU aims to raise the level of readiness of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces to enhance maritime security in the region, and protect the vital and strategic interests of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,"  it said.According to the agreement, the Spanish company "would localize up to 100% of naval shipbuilding, integration of combat systems, and ship main