May 2020 news

Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security


The press service of Lockheed Martin has announced on May 29, 2020, the delivery of the first KC-130J Super Hercules tanker assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 452 (VMGR-452), the Marine Forces Reserve squadron at Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York. A U.S. Marine Corps crew ferried the aircraft from Lockheed Martin’s facility here on May 28 to the aircraft’s new home.

According to a Tweet released on May 30, 2020, by DefenseNigeria Twitter account, the Nigerian Navy will take delivery of more FPB 72 coastal patrol boats designed and produced by the French Company OCEA. In December 2019, the French company has announced a contract for the delivery of new 24 m Fast Patrol Boat type OCEA FPB 72 MKII to the Nigerian Navy.

During a press conference that was held on Friday May 29, 2020, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, has announced that the Chinese Navy (PLA People's Liberation Armed Forces) is conducting sea trials for aircraft carrier Type 001A Shandong in accordance with the arrangement of the annual trial plan, said Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson of China Mod (Ministry of Defense).

The British Navy’s only icebreaker HMS Protector is undergoing a major overhaul on Teesside – including preparing the ship to carry unmanned survey devices. HMS Protector is the Royal Navy’s only Ice Patrol Ship. She calls the freezing waters of Antarctica and the Southern Hemisphere home.

According to news published on the official website of British Company BMT, on May 27, 2020, Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has formed a joint venture with Northern Ireland’s Harland & Wolff to respond for the future program FSS (Fleet Solid Support) of British Navy and to build up to three logistics ships to support the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.

U.S. Northern Command is leading a major homeland defense exercise on May 29, 2020, conducted in partnership with North American Aerospace Defense Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Strategic Command, and U.S. Space Command, with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) under the operational control of U.S. Northern Command.

The Marshal Shaposhnikov upgraded frigate of project 1155 will begin trials by the end of 2020. It is a former big antisubmarine ship with radically increased combat capabilities. The frigate is armed with subsonic Kalibr missiles and supersonic Onix. It is the lead ship in a series of upgraded big antisubmarine ships of project 1155, the Izvestia daily writes.

According to a publication released on the Facebook account of VietDefense, Vietnam has unveiled its new local-made VCM-01 anti-ship cruise missile which is a development of the Vietnamese KCT-15, a customized version of the Russian-made Kh-35UE produced under license in Vietnam.

Damen Shipyard Group will soon deliver the Second Multipurpose Offshore Patrol vessel PNS TABUK to the Pakistan Navy. The second PNS Tabuk corvette (F-272) launched in September 2019, is expected to be incorporated into the Pakistani Navy in the near future. Two more are planned under Navy modernization project.

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