The French Navy’s first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) “Suffren” successfully completed its static dive test on April 28. The important milestone marked the start of sea trials for the Barracuda program.
Australia’s Department of Defense ordered six new Cape Class Patrol Boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The vessels will be built by local shipbuilder Austal. The Australian Border Force currently operates eight Cape-class Patrol Boats, while the RAN operates two leased Cape-class.
Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine Corporation was awarded a $795 mil US Navy contract for detail design & construction of the first ship at its Marinette shipyard in Wisconsin. Options for up to 10 ships could make the contract worth up to $5.6 billion. Fincantieri was competing with a frigate design based on the Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate.
South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched ROKS Donghae (FFG-822), the fourth Daegu-class FFX Batch II frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROK Navy). The event took place on April 29 at the HHI shipyard in Ulsan.
The Italian Navy (Marina Militare) dispatched for the first time one of its FREMM Frigates to patrol the Gulf of Guinea while the French Navy (Marine Nationale) suspended its maritime security mission off West Africa.
The Lithuanian Navy (Lietuvos Karinės jūrų pajėgos) is looking to expand its fleet of Skalvis-class Mine Counter Measures (MCM) vessels (ex-Royal Navy’s Hunt-class) with the procurement of a third hull to be overhauled and upgraded.
The French Navy (Marine Nationale)’s first-in-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) “Suffren” successfully completed its static dive test on April 28. The important procedure marks the start of sea trials for the Barracuda program.
The SWEEP minesweeper system – designed to defeat the threat of underwater sea mines and safely clear sea lanes – has recently proven its capabilities during two weeks of cold-weather sea trials.
The project to build a series of eight SSBN was reported in May 2018 when a defense industry source disclosed a decision to build another six submarines of project 955A at Sevmash Shipyard.
Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17.
