Defense Forces News

The United States and Japan are looking to make a deal for Japanese shipyards to regularly overhaul and maintain U.S. Navy warships so they can stay in Asian waters ready for any potential conflict, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said on Friday."China watches what ships are coming in and out. It is not like this is a secret, they know what's happening. So therefore, they take an evaluation of your deterrence," Emanuel told reporters at the Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo.Unchallenged in Asian waters for decades, the U.S.

Israel will provide compensation for ships that are damaged due to the war in Gaza and the government is taking steps to minimise risks for vessels using the country's ports, government advisories said.Israel has vowed to annihilate the Hamas Islamist group after its fighters stormed through Israeli towns from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing 1,400 people and seizing more than 220 hostages in the worst attack on civilians in Israel's history.The country relies on its seaports for its trade…

Ukraine's navy said on Wednesday that 12 more cargo vessels were ready to enter a fledgling Black Sea shipping corridor on their way to Ukrainian ports, as Kyiv steps up a push to defy a de facto Russian blockade on its vital sea exports.Russia, which has a much more powerful and bigger naval fleet in the Black Sea, pulled out of a deal in July that had allowed wartime Ukraine to safely ship food products out through what is traditionally its main export corridor. Ukraine responded by setting up a temporary "humanitarian corridor" for cargo vessels…

Two people died and nine were missing after a cargo ship sank off southwestern Japan early on Wednesday amid fierce winter winds, the coast guard said, as it continued to search for survivors.Six people who were rescued remained unconscious, while five had revived as of 8:30 p.m. local time (1130 GMT), the Japan Coast Guard said, partly citing information from its South Korean counterpart.The 6,651-tonne Hong Kong-registered Jintian - which had 22 crew on board who were Chinese or Myanmar nationals according to media reports - issued a distress call late on Tuesday…

Earlier this year, a high-level defense event simply dubbed 'Industry Day' was held in Japan, an event aimed at strengthening the supply chain to the Japanese Self-Defense Forces equipment and strengthening Asia-Pacific Security and the Defense Industries.The event was significant in that the Japanese government has signaled its intention to increase defense spending, particularly with heightened tensions in the region from both China and North Korea. Also significant was the inclusion of U.S.

Russian missiles hit Ukraine's southern port of Odesa on Saturday, the Ukrainian military said, threatening a deal signed just a day earlier to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called the strike blatant "barbarism" showing Moscow could not be trusted to implement the deal. However, public broadcaster Suspilne quoted the Ukrainian military as saying the missiles had not caused significant…

Kongsberg Maritime signed a contract with Aker Arctic that will see KM supply propellers and shafts for four newbuild SQ2020 corvette ships for the Finnish Navy.The process originated in September 2019 when the Finnish Defense Forces Logistics Command (FDFLOGCOM) contracted Aker Arctic to design and deliver full shaftline system to SQ2020 corvettes and the Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) yard in Finland to build the vessels. Kongsberg Maritime’s delivery will consist of CPP controllable pitch propellers and shafts for the four vessels: each corvette will be equipped with two propellers…

Three NATO warships arrived in the southwestern Finnish port of of Turku on Monday to train with Finland's navy as Helsinki considers the possibility of joining the U.S.-led alliance amid increased tensions with Russia over Ukraine.Latvian minelayer LVNS Virsaitis and minehunters Estonian ENS Sakala and Dutch HNLMS Schiedam will train with two minehunters from Finland's coastal fleet, the Finnish defense forces said in a statement.The two-day exercise, set to commence on April 28…

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions said it has started building the first of two new car and passenger ferries for Spirit of Tasmania (TT-Line Company). The construction of the Spirit of Tasmania IV, set to operate between mainland Australia and Tasmania, kicked off with a traditional steel cutting ceremony.“Although the actual construction of the first ferry started today, RMC and Spirit of Tasmania already have a long history. The pandemic, among other things, disrupted our plans, but the agreement for the vessels was re-signed in 2021.

Life-saving water supplies from a New Zealand navy ship were distributed across Tonga's main island on Friday, as other countries battled the logistics of delivering aid to one of the world's remotest communities.Six days after the South Pacific archipelago was devastated by a volcanic eruption and tsunami that deposited a blanket of ash and polluted its water sources, the HMNZS Aotearoa docked in the capital, Nuku’alofa.The ship carried 250,000 liters of water and desalination equipment able to produce 70,000 litres more per day, New Zealand's High Commission said."Trucks ...

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) said on Wednesday that it has secured an order from Australian shipping company TT Line Company to build two car and passenger ferries at the Rauma shipyard.The newbuild order comes after TT Line, also known as Spirit of Tasmania, withdrew from a previous memorandum of understanding (MOU) last July while the Tasmanian government-owned company investigated options to produce the vessels locally to help offset economic impacts from the coronavirus pandemic.RMC revealed Wednesday that negotiations resumed in March this year…

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) said it resumed production on Thursday after it paused operations last week following a COVID-19 outbreak among its workforce.The company halted production last Friday after a cluster of coronavirus infections was discovered at the Rauma shipyard. Authorities tested all shipyard employees and quarantined those who had been exposed to the virus.RMC said the yard was thoroughly cleaned and sanitized during the weeklong shutdown, and that production will recommence in phases, in a controlled manner.

Maritime fuel management systems provider Fueltrax said it is expanding its representation in Asia in response to growing demand for its solutions in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific regions. Joining the company is Faiz Azani, Director of Operations – Southeast Asia, and Chris Pemberton, Regional Representative – Asia PacificAzani joined the FUELTRAX team last month and brings 11 years of experience in the oil and gas, shipping, and marine industry, focusing on Southeast Asia, Europe, & the Middle East. He is a former marine expert to Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM) of PETRONAS.

Taiwan commissioned the first of a new fleet of coastguard ships on Friday, an advanced catamaran that can be armed with missiles during war, as the island bolsters its defenses in the face of what it sees as a growing threat from Beijing.President Tsai Ing-wen has made military modernization a priority for the Chinese-claimed island. Beijing has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control.Attending the commissioning of the domestically made, T$1.05 billion ($37.30 million) Anping in the southern city of Kaohsiung…

Japan and Australia agreed on a breakthrough defense pact on Tuesday allowing reciprocal visits for training and operations, and voiced concern over the disputed South China Sea, where China is extending its military influence.It is Japan's first agreement covering foreign military presence on its soil since a status of forces agreement in 1960 that allowed the United States to base warships, jets and troops in Japan as part of an alliance that Washington describes as the bedrock of regional security.The Reciprocal Access Agreement strengthens defense ties between the two U.S.

Finnish shipbuilder Rauma Marine Constructions (RMC) revealed it has entered into three major supply contracts worth over €100 million ($117.4 million) in total for the main equipment of Pohjanmaa Class multi-purpose corvettes commissioned by the Finnish Defense Forces.The most crucial contracts for the supply of critical main equipment with long delivery times were signed during spring and summer in highly unusual circumstances, the shipbuilder said, adding that the coronavirus pandemic has posed significant challenges to numerous businesses…

Davit supplier Vestdavit said its U.S. operation has won a contract to deliver boat launch-and-recovery systems to two U.S. Navy Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels currently being built by global shipbuilder Austal at its yard in Mobile, Ala.Vestdavit Inc. will supply a 2TDB-7000 davit system to each of EPF 13 and EPF 14, the latest vessels to be commissioned as part of the U.S. Navy’s EPF program. With EPF 13 due for delivery in late 2021, both ships will be deployed in the high-speed…

The Finnish Defense Forces Logistics Command and Aker Arctic Technology Inc. recently signed a contract for the design, delivery and integration of complete propulsion lines to four Pohjanmaa-class multi-role corvettes for the Finnish Navy. Construction of the vessels is scheduled to begin in 2022 and the four-strong squadron will achieve operational readiness in 2028.Aker Arctic’s scope of delivery includes ice-strengthened controllable pitch propellers and their pitch control mechanisms, propeller shafts, bearings and shaft seals.

Japan will not send warships to join a U.S.-led maritime force to guard oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz fearing a military response from Iran, but it may send patrol aircraft, said the Mainichi newspaper, citing unidentified government sources.But Japan may send warships independently to protect Japanese ships in the world's most important oil artery, the newspaper said on Friday."We are closely monitoring the situation and continue to collect information while working closely with the United States and other countries…

At least 22 students drowned on Wednesday when a boat carrying more than 40 people sank while crossing the Nile in northern Sudan, state news agency SUNA said.Civil defense forces were searching the waters for the missing passengers but had not recovered the bodies, the agency added. A female hospital employee also drowned.(Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz, writing by Amina Ismail, Editing by Sami Aboudi and Matthew Mpoke Bigg)

Kongsberg Maritime said it has been awarded a contract by Finnish Defense Forces (FDF) to deliver ST2400 VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) upgrades to the SQ2000MLU program for the Hamina-Class Corvettes fleet.The ST2400 VDS is designed to provide accurate and highly reliable performance for detecting submarines, mines and Unmanned Underwater Vehicles in Littoral waters. The ST2400 VDS upgrade will enable the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability on all four Hamina-Class Corvettes…

A cargo ship that sprung a leak in the Gulf of Finland last week has been towed into the port of Tallinn. The Finnish Boarder Guard said several meters of water had flooded into the engine room and one of the cargo compartments of a Panamanian-flagged bulk carrier Glory Hongkong sailing in international waters to the west of Suursaari island en route to St Petersburg. Pumping equipment was used to drain the cargo compartment, and the leak between the engine room and the cargo hold was stopped. No oil leaked from the ship into the sea at any stage.

Two GE LM2500 marine gas turbines power the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Forces (JMSDF) newest destroyer JS Asahi (DD119). This first of two new destroyers in the JMSDF’s Asahi-class destroyer program was recently commissioned by the JMSDF. The ship was built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) at its Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Japan. “We work in concert with IHI, our longstanding partner in Japan, to supply LM2500 marine gas turbines to the JMSDF for this new destroyer and other surface combatant programs,” said GE’s Brien Bolsinger, Vice President, Marine Operations.