December 2016 News - Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security

U.S. Navy Next SSBN Class - Ohio Replacement / SSBN(x) - Will Be Called Columbia-class
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Columbia class SSBN Ohio replacement SSBNX US Navy
During a ceremony Dec. 14 at the District of Columbia city hall, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus formally announced the first ship of the new fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), formerly known as the Ohio-class replacement, will be named USS Columbia (SSBN 826) in honor of the District of Columbia.
 

U.S. Green Lights FMS of AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe Radar for Philippines Navy Hamilton-class Cutters
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Indian Navy Il 38SD Maritime Patrol Aircraft
The U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of the Philippines for AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe 3D Air Search Radars and related equipment, support, and training. The estimated cost is $25 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on December 12, 2016.
 

Australia's Defence Industry Minister Visits DCNS Submarine Shipyard in Cherbourg, France
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Australia minister DCNS CEO Cherbourg 1
Australia's Minister for Defence industry, the Hon Christopher Pyne MP today met with senior management of DCNS in France to discuss progress on Australia’s Future Submarine Program. As part of the visit, Minister Pyne also viewed the DCNS shipyard facilities in Cherbourg which follows the signing of the Design and Mobilisation Contract with DCNS in September of this year.
 

Second Indian Navy Il-38SD Maritime Patrol Aircraft Modernized in Russia
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Indian Navy Il 38SD Maritime Patrol Aircraft
Russian Spoters photos show that the second Il-38SD Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) of the Indian Navy (serial number IN301) conducting test flights out of Zhukovsky airfielf following repair works and modernization. The work conducted by Myasishchev (member of JSC Ilyushin) lasted about a year. The plane arrived in Russia in November 2015.
 

Leonardo delivers the first two P-72A Maritime Surveillance Aircraft to Italy
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P 72A Maritime Surveillance Aircraft Italy Leonardo
Leonardo-Finmeccanica delivered the first two P-72A aircraft to the Italian Air Force. It is the maritime surveillance variant of the ATR 72MP maritime patrol aircraft (used by the Turkish and Italian navies) itself based on the ATR 72-600 twin-engine turboprop short-haul regional airliner. The P-72A will replace the old Breguet Atlantic in service.
 

China's 28th & 29th Type 056 Corvettes (Jiangdao class) Commissioned in PLAN East Sea Fleet
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28ᵉ et 29ᵉ corvettes Type 056 admises au service actif 03
A commissioning, naming and flag-presenting ceremony of the new Boading (hull number 511) and Heze (hull number 512) of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) was held solemnly at the Lianyungang Naval Base (located North of Shanghai). The event means that both vessels are officially commissioned to the PLAN. Boading and Heze are respectively the twenty-eigth and twenty-ninth Type 056 Corvettes (Jiangdao class) in the PLAN fleet.
 

Russia's Rubin Central Design Bureau Developing "Surrogate" Training Target UUV for Navy
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Surrogate Training Target UUV Rubin Russia 2
Russia’s Rubin Central Design Bureau for Marine Engineering has designed the Surrogat (Суррогат) robotic system that will be used in naval exercises, the design bureau’s press office told TASS. The design bureau is currently discussing this project with Russia’s Navy, the press office added.
 

DCNS Consolidating its Submarine Industrial Cooperation Proposal to Norway
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Scorpene Norway DCNS
DCNS, in collaboration with Thales and FSI, has organized an Industry Day in Oslo, on the 6th of December 2016. This event, inaugurated by the Embassy of France in Oslo, was the natural continuation of the work undertaken during the French-Norwegian Seminar in Paris in September 2016; aiming to strengthen and consolidate the industrial long term cooperation between French and Norwegian Industries.
 

Naming and handover of Egyptian Navy submarines at Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel
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HDW 209 1400mod class submarine S42 TKMS 1
The second HDW 209/1400mod class submarine (Yard No. 448) for the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt was named at the shipyard of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel today. “S41”, the first submarine of this class which was named in December 2015, was also officially handed over to the customer at the event. “S41” and “S42” are the first two of four submarines. Since the start of production of the first submarine at thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel...
 

Pictures: US Navy F/A-18C Hornet Fighters Crossing Decks with French Navy Aircraft Carrier CDG
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US Navy FA 18C Hornet Fighter CDG
The French Navy (Marine Nationale) released pictures showing at least two F/A-18C Hornet fighters (and a E-2C Hawkeye) from the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) crossing deck with Charles de Gaulle. The pictures were taken on December 8th while both carriers were operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The aircraft belong to Strike Fighter Squadron 131 (VFA-131), also known as the "Wildcats".
 

Egyptian Navy FREMM Frigate & Ambassador Mk III Missile Craft in Exercise with Hellenic Navy
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MEDOUSA Egyptian Navy FREMM Greece
The Egyptian Navy took part in the 'Medousa 3/16' naval exercise organized by the Hellenic Navy from 4 - 8 December 2016 in the wider sea area East of Crete island. For this exercise focusing on maritime security operations (VBSS) and search and rescue, the Egyptian Navy participated with some of its most modern units: The Tahya Misr FREMM Frigate and two Ambassador Mk III Fast Missile Craft.
 

Pictures: French Navy Rafale M Fighters Crossing Decks with US Navy Aircraft Carrier "Ike" CVN 69
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Rafale M US Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower CVN 69 1
The U.S. Navy released pictures showing several Rafale M (and a E-2C Hawkeye) from the French Navy (Marine Nationale) aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle airwing crossing deck with U.S. Navy Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). The pictures were taken on December 8th while both carriers were operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
 

French Navy Latest Patrol Vessel PLG Rescues Skipper During Maiden Operational Deployment
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La confiance PLG patrol vessel french navy 1
The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that the latest addition to its fleet, the "La Confiance" PLG (Patrouilleur Léger Guyanais or Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel) rescued a Norwegian skipper. La Confiance left Brest naval base on November 22nd and was on its way to its new permanent base in French Guiana when it received instructions to assist and rescue the Norwegian sailing boat Njord. La Confiance PLG rescued the skipper on December 4th and brought him back safely to Fort-de-France naval base in Martinique.
 

DCNS Started Upgrading the Last French Navy SSBN Le Téméraire for the new M51 Ballistic Missile
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Le temeraire SSBN French Navy M51 upgrade DCNS 1
As part of the "IA M51 programme" (Regular Overhaul / adaptation for the M51 missile) Le Téméraire, the last of the three French nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) to benefit from this upgrade, was transferred on Wednesday, 7 December, from Ile Longue (French for "Long Island", base of the French Strategic Oceanic Force) to dock 8 of the naval base in Brest, where this large-scale work is carried out with DCNS as prime contractor.
 

US Navy Destroyer USS Zumwalt Reaches San Diego Following Early Issues During Transit
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Zumwalt DDG 1000 San Diego 1
The US Navy's most technologically advanced surface combatant, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000), completed her journey to San Diego Thursday, Dec. 8. Zumwalt's arrival to her new Southern California homeport concluded a nearly four-month transit from Bath, Maine, which included training operations, various port calls, and a commissioning ceremony in Baltimore. Zumwalt departed Bath Iron Works shipyard Sept. 7 and made several port visits to eastern U.S. Navy fleet concentration areas, such as Norfolk and Mayport, Florida.
 

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