Portugal is acquiring an additional six Viana do Castelo-class OPVs to complement its four existing units. (Janes/Victor Barreira)  Portugal's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a tender for the acquisition and construction of six additional Viana do Castelo-class Navio de Patrulha Oceanico (NPO) offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) for the Portuguese Navy.  The tender, which includes a review of the engineering project, construction of the ships, and integrated logistics support (ILS), is open to shipyards or consortiums from the European Union...

Lockheed Martin's AN/TPS-77 ground-based radar is a deployable version of the AN/TPS-117 radar that can be set up within 30 minutes. (Lockheed Martin)  The Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition Logistics Organisation (Forsvarsministeriets Materiel: FMI) has contracted Lockheed Martin to extend the life of the Royal Danish Air Force's two AN/TPS-77 long-range transportable radars.  According to the FMI on 31 May, the two radars will receive a mid-life upgrade (MLU) that was planned as part of the Danish Defence Agreement 2018–2023. The MLU is...

A computer-generated image of what Singapore's multirole combat vessel might look like. (Singapore Ministry of Defence)  For much of its existence since it was established in 1967 the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) – then known as the Singapore Naval Volunteer Force – was concerned with securing the country's territorial waters against threats such as smugglers and pirates.  However, beginning in the 1970s the service underwent a major introspection of its roles and responsibilities. At that time, the relatively tiny island at the southern...

Newport News Shipbuilding redelivered aircraft carrier USS   George Washington  after a ship overhaul.  (US Navy)  HII's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division redelivered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) to the US Navy (USN) after the shipyard successfully completed the ship's refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH), HII confirmed on 25 May.  “George Washington has gone through a transformation and now returns to the fleet as a fully recapitalised ship for another 25 years,” Todd West, NNS vice-p...

With a weight launch of 280 kg, the Blue Shark can hit targets at depths of up to 450 m and at a range of 6.5 n mile. The torpedo can travel at a speed of 45 kt. (Janes/Patrick Allen)  South Korea is prepared to deliver a second batch of Cheong Sangeo (K745/Blue Shark) torpedoes to the Philippine Navy (PN). However, Janes understands that the Philippines has delayed the procurement.  The deal was first announced in August 2021. At the time, the Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) said that the deal was reported to cost around PHP...

Lastunul  , one of three Zborul (Tarantul I)-class corvettes, approved to undergo modernisation.  (Romanian Navy)  The Romanian parliament has given the approval for the purchase of two new submarines and two second-hand minehunters for the Romanian Navy as well as modernisation of the service's corvettes, local media reported.  According to a report by Romania's national press agency Agerpres on 18 May, the Romanian parliament approved a request from the Ministry of National Defence for the procurement of two Scorpène-class conv...

The Royal Malaysian Navy will operate a total of 19 fast interceptor craft built by local firm Gading Marine, following a second-batch order of 13 vessels. Four of the six vessels ordered in the first batch are pictured above. (Royal Malaysian Navy)    The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) will start taking deliveries of a second batch of 18 m fast interceptor craft (FIC) from local firm Gading Marine later in 2023, the company told   Janes   at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 in Malaysia, held...

ADSB's new 92 m corvette – a rendering of which is pictured above – is positioned to meet requirements in the Asia-Pacific. (ADSB)  Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) unveiled a model of a new 92 m corvette at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 held in Malaysia from 23 to 27 May.    Francesco Lo Monaco, ADSB's director of shipbuilding and engineering, told   Janes   that the new corvette is a multirole vessel equipped to perform a range of littoral and coastal missions and meet requirements of...

A computer-generated rendering of the Arrowhead 140 design, which is the basis for Indonesia's ‘Red White' frigate programme. (Babcock)    Turkey's Havelsan will equip the Indonesian Navy's new Arrowhead 140 frigates with its Advent combat management system (CMS), the company told   Janes  at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 in Malaysia.   The frigates are being constructed by state-owned Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL, with steel cutting of the first ship in December 2022.  The Arrow...

Stirling Castle  has started sea trials with the RFA after completing its conversion into a mother ship for offboard autonomous mine countermeasure payloads.  (RFA Nostalgia)  The UK Royal Navy's (RN's) new minehunting mother ship started sea trials with Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) personnel after completing its military conversion from an oil rig offshore support vessel (OSV).  Stirling Castle  (ex-MV   Island Crown  ) was purchased second-hand from Island Offshore Management for GBP40 million (USD49.3 million)...

A model of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's Tun Fatimah-class offshore patrol vessel displayed at LIMA 2023. (Janes/Nishant Kumar)  Malaysian shipbuilder TH Heavy Engineering (THHE) expects to deliver the first of three Tun Fatimah-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in July 2023, a spokesperson for MMEA confirmed to Janes at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 in Malaysia.  The first Tun Fatimah-class OPV was launched in October 2022, five ye...

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has displayed a model of a Multi-Role Support Ship that it is proposing to meet requirements within the Royal Malaysian Navy. (Janes/Nishant Kumar)  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) unveiled a model of its new Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023.  An MHI spokesperson told Janes that work on the design of the new MRSS was initiated two to three years ago. However, the spokesperson said the design is not yet finalised and may change based on navi...

Hyundai Heavy Industries displayed this model of the HDC-2000 LMS at the LIMA Exhibition 2023 in Langkawi. (Janes/Nishant Kumar)  Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) unveiled models of its new HDC-2000 Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) and HDL-10000 amphibious vessel at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 held in Malaysia from 23 to 27 May.  An HHI spokesperson told Janes that the HDC-2000 design will be proposed for the Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN's) programme to procure a second batch of LMS vessels. The design of...

The Portuguese Navy is looking to commission the Multifunctional Naval Platform in 2026. (Victor Barreira)    The Portuguese Navy is poised to issue a tender to acquire a helicopter and unmanned systems mother ship    for a maximum of EUR132 million (USD142 million) to meet its Pilar I project.     A tender by prior qualification for the design and construction of the Plataforma Naval Multifuncional (Multifunctional Naval Platform) is scheduled to be published in mid-June in the   Portuguese Official Gazette...

Electric Boat awarded Newport News Shipbuilding a contract modification for Block V attack submarines. (Newport News Shipbuilding)  General Dynamics Electric Boat awarded HII's Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) unit a USD305.2 million contract modification to procure long-lead-time material for two additional Block V Virginia-class submarines, HII confirmed on 24 May.  The contract modification brings the overall contract value to USD10.2 billion, HII said.  “These funds are critically important to stabilising and providing predictability to th...

The UK has signed a contract with Elbit Systems UK for up to 130 ground-based surveillance radars. (Elbit Systems UK)  The UK will receive new ground-based surveillance radars (GBSRs) to bolster its front-line threat-detection capabilities following a contract signed with Elbit Systems UK.  Under the contract, Elbit Systems UK will deliver 90 GBSR systems between 2023 and 2024, with an option for an additional 40 systems, the company announced on 23 May.  The portable GBSR systems are designed to detect, track, and classify targets moving on...

The ULAQ search-and-rescue unmanned surface vessel displayed at LIMA 2023. (Janes/Nishant Kumar)  Turkish firm Meteksan Defence unveiled a model of the new search-and-rescue (SAR) variant of its ULAQ unmanned surface vessel (USV) at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023.  Meteksan's international sales director Burak Akbaş told Janes on 23 May that the company is positioning the SAR USV to meet requirements in Southeast Asia. He said the platform has been developed for coastguard SAR operations.  The ULAQ SA...

Indra will deliver three Lanza-N 3D radars to the Indian Navy in collaboration with its Indian partner company, TASL. The first of these radars has been delivered and is being installed on an Indian Navy destroyer. TASL is expected to build 20 more Lanza-N radars in India based on technology transfers from Indra. (Indra)  Spanish company Indra has begun delivery of the naval version of its Lanza 3D surveillance radar to the Indian Navy, in collaboration with its Indian partner company, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).  Indra said on 17 M...

A model of Mazagon Dock's autonomous underwater vehicle swarm drones displayed at LIMA 2023. (Janes/Nishant Kumar)  Indian company Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) unveiled a model of its autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) swarm concept at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) Exhibition 2023 being held from 23 to 27 May in Malaysia.  The concept is to enhance Indian Navy mine-countermeasures (MCM) capabilities. Operating as a swarm, the AUVs will comprise three units. The first will act as the master AUV, with two...

Commander of the Republic of Singapore Navy's First Flotilla Colonel Ng Kok Yeng Daniel at Changi Naval Base alongside RSS   Supreme   – the ship he once served on.   (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)    On 14 July 2012 the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) made history when two Harpoon anti-ship missiles flew from the weapons bay of first-of-class RSS   Formidable  . In the cross-hairs of these missiles was a decommissioned US Navy (USN) vessel moored in waters near Hawaii and both Harpoons struck their intend...