Dreadnought News

Rolls-Royce has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with both Western and South Australian governments that outline a commitment to collaborate on workforce development, skills training, and critical technologies to support the growing defence sectors in each state.This marks a significant step forward in Australian preparations for the AUKUS submarine program which will provide the nation with their first conventionally armed nuclear navy.Under the agreements, both governments…

Britain said on Friday it had awarded Rolls-Royce RR.L a $11 billion eight-year contract to design, make and support the nuclear reactors that power its fleet of submarines, amid U.S. calls for higher defence spending.The deal will strengthen the Royal Navy's continuous at-sea deterrent - under which at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine patrols the seas at all times - while also boosting the AUKUS defence pact with the United States and Australia, Britain's Ministry of Defence (MOD) said.Amid rising tensions with Russia…

Emergency services suppressed a huge blaze that broke out in the early hours at a BAE Systems shipyard yesterday in north west England that builds Britain's nuclear submarines.Earlier in the day pictures online showed what looked like flames and black smoke emerging from the top of the vast Devonshire Dock Hall building. Police said there was no nuclear risk.BAE Systems, Britain's biggest defence company, later said that while the affected area was only accessible for essential personnel…

Babcock International Group and the UK’s Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) have agreed a full cost recovery contract worth an estimated £560 million to undertake the planned deep maintenance and life extension program for HMS Victorious, one of the UK’s Vanguard Class nuclear submarines.The multi-year life extension program will deliver HMS Victorious back to the Royal Navy modernized and improved, enabling it to continue operational patrols well into the 2030s. Work on the submarine is already underway…

Babcock has been awarded two further contracts for work on the UK’s new Dreadnought Class submarine worth a combined £121 million.The contracts include a 4.5-year £66 million contract with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to provide input into the development of the support solution for the UK’s new Dreadnought Class submarines. The new Class of submarine will replace the Vanguard Class in the early 2030s to maintain a Continuous At Sea Deterrent.Babcock will also provide the MOD with technical and management support…

The UK Ministry of Defense has awarded £3.95 billion (currently ~$4,81 billion) of funding to BAE Systems for the next phase of the UK's next-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine program, known as SSN-AUKUS.According to BAE Systems, SSN-AUKUS will be the largest, most powerful, and most advanced attack submarine the Royal Navy has ever operated and will eventually replace the Astute class, which BAE Systems builds at its site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.The funding follows the AUKUS announcement in March by the leaders of Australia, the UK and the United States.

HMS Anson, the fifth Astute class submarine, which BAE Systems has designed and built for the Royal Navy, has departed the company's shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, and headed out to open sea for the first time.After being guided through the shipyard's dock system and rounding the tip of Walney Island, HMS Anson began her maiden journey to His Majesty's Naval Base Clyde, home of the UK's Submarine Service. She will undertake sea trials before joining HMS Astute, HMS Ambush…

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE:HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division on Friday delivered the newest fast-attack submarine to the U.S. Navy.Delaware (SSN 791), which successfully completed sea trials earlier this month, is the ninth Virginia-class submarine to be delivered by Newport News and the 18th built as part of the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat.The submarine is the second ship to be named for the country’s first state, the first being the dreadnought battleship USS Delaware (BB 28)…

A shipyard in northern England that builds Britain's new generation of nuclear submarines was evacuated on Wednesday after what a local news website said was a bomb warning.Ambulances and police were on the scene in Barrow-in-Furness in northwestern England. The defense ministry declined to comment."As a precaution, the Devonshire Dock Complex has been closed," a spokeswoman for BAE Systems said.

Huntington Ingalls Industries  christened the Virginia-class submarine Delaware (SSN 791) this morning at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division.Jill Biden, the former Second Lady of the United States and the ship’s sponsor, smashed a bottle of sparkling wine against the hull, celebrating the latest milestone of the newest U.S. Navy vessel prior to its launch.“I know it is a tremendous privilege to be selected as a pre-commission crew member, and the sailors standing with us today are the very best the Navy has to offer,” Biden said. “I am grateful to become part of the USS Delaware family and to be their shipmate for life.”The ceremony took place in Newport News’ Module Outfitting Facility and was attended by more than 1,500 guests, including Delaware Gov. John Carney; Sen.

Britain on Monday awarded defence firm BAE Systems 2.4 billion pounds ($3.26 billion) to work on two submarine programmes, the company said in a statement.The Ministry of Defence gave BAE a 1.5 billion pound contract for delivery of the seventh Astute class submarine, and a further 900 million pounds for the next phase of the Dreadnought submarine program, the company said.($1 = 0.7364 pounds)(Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Kate Holton)

The U.S Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $126.1 million contract modification to continue development of the Common Missile Compartment for the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class submarine and the Royal Navy’s Successor-class ballistic-missile submarine. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. The contract modification includes funding for procurement of long-lead time material for missile tubes which will be integrated into both the Navy’s new SSBN and the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought-class strategic missile submarine. Initially awarded in September 2017, the fourteen-year, $5.1 billion contract calls for Electric Boat to perform design and development work for the Navy’s next-generation ballistic-missile submarine…

The U.K.’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet this morning by Her Majesty The Queen. Serving as the ship's Lady Sponsor, The Queen addressed guests before the ship's Commanding Officer, Captain Jerry Kyd, and read the commissioning warrant at a ceremony in Portsmouth Naval Base. The ceremony, attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson and military chiefs, marked the first time the Queen has visited the new warship since the formal naming ceremony in Rosyth in July 2014.

The U.S. Navy warship that famously fired the first American shot in World War II has been found resting on the seabed in Ormoc Bay near Ponson Island in the Philippines. The historic vessel USS Ward was discovered and documented by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Paul G. Allen's expedition crew aboard Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel, who has now released video images just prior to the anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. At 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, December 7…

The U.S Navy has awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $95.5 million contract modification to continue development of the Common Missile Compartment for the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class submarine and the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought-class ballistic-missile submarine.   The contract modification will enable procurement of 17 missile tubes which will support the manufacture of the Common Missile Compartment.   The five-year, $1.85 billion contract initially awarded in December 2012 calls for Electric Boat to perform research and development work for the Navy’s next-generation ballistic-missile submarine, which is scheduled to begin construction in 2021. The potential value of the overall contract is $2.5 billion.

Sir Michael Fallon MP, Secretary of State for Defence, visited BAE Systems Submarines today where he learnt about the Company's £25m investment in a new apprentice training facility. The Company’s site, in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, is home to the UK's submarine design and build capability and the new facility will help nurture the unique skills required to deliver one of the world's most complex engineering challenges. BAE Systems is the prime contractor for the Astute programme and the lead industrial partner in the Dreadnought programme, which is a new class of submarines to replace the Vanguard class. At nearly 8,000m2, the new Central Training Facility will provide a bespoke learning environment for the almost 1,000 craft and technical apprentices that are currently in training.

The fourth submarine in the Astute class was officially named Audacious during a December 16 ceremony at builder BAE Systems’ Submarines site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Guests watched as Lady Jones, Audacious' sponsor and wife of Admiral Sir Phillip Jones, the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, named the 7,400-metric-ton, 97-meter-long attack submarine, and then smashed a bottle of beer against her hull. “We have already delivered three highly-capable Astute class submarines to the Royal Navy and Audacious now takes another significant step towards joining her sister submarines…

1815 - The sloop-of-war USS Hornet captures the brig sloop HMS Penguin after a 22 minute battle, with neither ship aware the War of 1812 is over. 1882 - Secretary of the Navy William H. Hunt (Jan. 7, 1881 to April 16, 1882), creates the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) with General Order No. 292. 1917 - USS New Mexico (BB 40) is launched. She is the first dreadnought with turboelectric drive. 1944 - USS Tunny (SS 282) sinks the Japanese submarine I 42 off the Palau Islands. 1945 - USS Haggard (DD 555) is damaged when she rams and sinks Japanese submarine RO 41 in the Philippine Sea.

1910 - USS Michigan, the first U.S. dreadnought battleship, is commissioned. 1943 - USS Shad (SS 235) sinks German minesweeper M 4242 (ex-French trawler Odet II) in the Bay of Biscay. 1944 - USS Bluefish (SS 222) and USS Rasher (SS 269) attack a Japanese convoy off French Indochina; Bluefish sinks a merchant tanker while Rasher damages another tanker. Also on this date USS Cabrilla (SS 288) sinks a Japanese freighter off Cape Padran, French Indochina while USS Tautog (SS 109) sinks a Japanese freighter off southern Honshu. 1945 - During attacks against the U.S.

Today in U.S. Naval History: April 23 1917 - Launching of USS New Mexico, first dreadnought with turboelectric drive 1918 - USS Stewart destroys German submarine off France 1945 - In only U.S. use of guided missiles in WW II, 2 BAT missiles release at Balikiapan, Borneo 1956 - Project Vanguard, earth satellite launching program, assigned to DCNO (Air) For more information about naval history, visit the Naval History and Heritage Command website at history.navy.mil.

At Pentagon ceremony Dr Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, with Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announce the new sub's name to be 'USS Delaware'. Wherever the USS Delaware goes after she is launched in 2018, a "piece of my heart will go with her," said Dr. Jill Biden, who will sponsor the Navy's newest Virginia-class fast-attack submarine. Delaware's Sen. Tom Carper and Lt. Gov. Matt Denn also attended the ceremony announcing the submarine's name. Vice President Joe Biden also attended the ceremony and donned a blue ball cap bearing the name of the submarine. This is the seventh U.S.

From the Navy News Service:   1863 - Blockading ship USS Quaker City captures sloop Mercury carrying despatches, emphasizing the desperate plight of the South. 1910 - Commissioning of USS Michigan (BB 27), the first U.S. dreadnought battleship. 1989 - F-14 Tomcats from Fighter Squadron 32 embarked aboard USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) shoot down two hostile Libyan MiGs.   For more news, visit www.history.navy.mil.

1815 - USS Hornet captures HMS Penguin in battle lasting 22 minutes   1882 - SECNAV Hunt issues General Order No. 292 creating Office of Naval Intelligence.   1917 - Launching of USS New Mexico, first dreadnought with turboelectric drive   1945 - Carriers begin pre-assault strikes on Okinawa, kamikaze attacks follow   1958 - First launching of simulated Polaris missile from submerged tactical launcher facility off CA.   1965 - LCDR John W. Young, USN, Pilot of Gemini 3 completed 3 orbits in 4 hours., 53 minutes at an altitude of 224 km. Recovery was by helicopters from USS Intrepid (CVS-11).   (Source: Navy News Service)