STX Marine is pleased to report the keel-laying of the first of two Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Irish Naval Service (INS). The keel was laid by Commodore Mellet, Flag Officer Commanding Naval Service, on May 18th, 2012 at Babcock Marine’s shipyard in Appledore, North Devon. The ceremony was attended by senior representatives of the Department of Defence, the Naval Service and STXM.

Zvezdochka Shipyard plans to deliver to the Russian Navy two nuclear-powered submarines and one diesel-electric submarine undergoing overhaul and upgrade at the shipyards by the end of 2012.

The 2012 edition of the annual UDT Europe show – a leading forum for the international undersea defence community – will be held in Alicante, Spain, from 29 to 31 May. DCNS specialists will present papers and displays on some of the Group’s latest technologies. A consistent innovator thanks to its R&D and engineering programmes, the Group is constantly introducing new products and services in response to customers’ emerging and anticipated needs.

Just one week following the launch of Ivan Gren, head of Project 11711 large landing ship, senior officials from the Russian Navy Command confirmed to Daily Izvestia the intention to order a second vessel before deciding the fate of the class.

Russia’s second Gepard class frigate has successfully test-fired missiles from the new Kalibr-NK missile system during the first stage of sea trials in the Black Sea, a spokesman for Russia’s Southern military district said on Thursday.

May 22, 2012 in the night at the Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai (part of the China state shipbuilding corporation - CSSC) the head unit of the Type 056 Corvette for the Chinese Navy was launched. Construction of the ship started in 2010.

Recent tests have demonstrated the effectiveness of new coatings applied to the flight deck of CVN Charles de Gaulle using a process tailored by DCNS. Phase I of this programme involved the application of new coatings to the landing zone, the portion of the flight deck subject to highest stresses.

Thales has been awarded a contract to supply minesweeping equipment for the Republic of Korea Navy’s (ROKN) new Mine Sweeper Hunters. The contract signed with ITT Corporation (now ITT Exelis) is for the supply of three ship sets of Advanced Acoustic Generators (AAGs) from Thales in Australia.

Lockheed Martin has completed computer program development and testing for the HOBART class Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD), the Royal Australian Navy’s Aegis-equipped ships. The computer programs have been approved by the U.S. Navy.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) announced today that the company's seventh amphibious transport dock, Anchorage (LPD 23), returned Friday from successful builder's sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The ship is currently under construction at Ingalls' Avondale facility.

The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a contract totaling $57.8 million to overhaul and upgrade nine Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems, and manufacture two SeaRAM anti-ship missile defense systems. The agreement also includes the purchase of 20 radar upgrade kits.

May 18, 2012 at JSC "Baltic Shipyard Yantar" in Kaliningrad, a new large landing ship for the Russian Navy was floated out following an official ceremony. Project 11711 large landing ship of the new generation was designed in the late eighties and nineties. Russian Ministry of Defense April 1, 2004 issued the contract to build Project 11711. The ship's completion is expected by 2013. Plans to build three more ships of the same class are under consideration.

Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Combat System recently demonstrated simultaneous anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense capabilities during its first integrated air and missile defense test.

ATLAS ELEKTRONIK has increased the reach of its torpedoes substantially, setting a new range record for torpedoes. At a test-firing in March 2012, the heavyweight torpedo SeaHake® mod4 ER (Extended Range) achieved a range of over 140 kilometres.

Iranian aircraft manufacturing company HESA in Isfahan has unveiled the first unit of a basic Maritime Patrol Aircraft named "Oghab". The new MPA is based on the locally produced IrAn-140 which is a licensed version of the Antonov An-140.

Cobham has been awarded a US $39 million contract from the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to manufacture the AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group for US Navy and Marine Corps EA-6B and EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft.