18 January 2022
by Ridzwan Rahmat
The Republic of China Navy (RoCN) has commissioned its second fast minelaying vessel.
The ship was commissioned in a ceremony attended by President Tsai Ing-wen on 14 January. The vessel has been designated ‘Fast Mine Laying Boat-2' with pennant marking FMLB-2.
The RoCN commissioned its first fast minelayer, FMLB-1, in December 2020 and received FMLB-2 in September 2021. The vessel displaces 347 tonnes at full load with an overall length of 41 m and an overall beam of 8.8 m. It is powered by two diesel engines and can attain a top speed of 14 kt.
24 April 2024
by Ridzwan Rahmat
Sentinel , the testbed for Australia's Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial project. (Austal)
Australian shipbuilder Austal has completed the sea acceptance trials phase for the country's Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), the company announced on 23 April.
The milestone, which included an endurance trial, was achieved by the project's testbed – a decommissioned Armidale-class patrol boat now known as Sentinel. The vessel was formerly in service with the Royal Australian Navy as HMAS Maitland and retired in 2022.
24 April 2024
by Michael Fabey
US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro said the country needs more blue-collar workers to meet navy shipbuilding needs at yards like Newport News Shipbuilding, shown here. (Janes/Michael Fabey)
To address the shortage of workers needed to build the number of ships needed to meet US Navy (USN) fleet plans, the country should seek to bring in more legal immigrants from foreign shores, according to US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro.
23 April 2024
by Kate Tringham
MdCN is launched from the FREMM frigate Aquitaine on 18 April. (French Navy)
The French Navy has successfully conducted its first simultaneous test launch of the Missile de Croisière Navale (MdCN)naval cruise missile from a frigate and a submarine.
The test-firing was carried out by the service's lead multimission (FREMM) frigate Aquitaine, positioned off the coast of Brittany, and one of its Suffren (Barracuda)-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), located off the coast of Biscarrosse, on 18 April, the Ministry of Armed Forces of France confirmed the same day.
The Republic of China Navy (RoCN) has commissioned its second fast minelaying vessel.
In this podcast Janes analysts discuss the Iranian attacks on Israel on the 14 April. They highlight the military systems used by Iran and the performance and impact of these on Israel. They also discuss the implications of this attack goi...
Listen now