Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson in 2018. U.K. Royal Navy Photo
LONDON — British prime minister Theresa May has sacked her defense secretary for leaking sensitive information relating to Chinese involvement in the country’s future telecommunications projects. Read More
HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived back in Portsmouth following successful First of Class rotary wing trials in the Atlantic. Royal Navy Photo.
USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2018. This story is part of a series; please also see U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy Operations and U.S. Marine Operations.
Freedom of navigation operations, increased submarine activity, aggressive flight operations and large-scale exercises were among the many international naval operations and acquisition stories of 2018, but capital ships run by the navies of China, France and the United Kingdom captured the biggest attention. Read More
Hunter-class version of BAE Type 26 frigate. BAE artist rendering
BAE Systems and the Australian government signed a contract on Friday to start detailed design and engineering work for the Royal Australian Navy’s planned Hunter-class frigate.
Two F-35B Lightning II fighter successfully landed onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 25, 2018. Lockheed Martin Photo
ABOARD HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, OFF THE COAST OF NEW JERSEY – The Royal Navy lays out the intentions of its largest warship to visitors immediately. Read More
Cmdr. Nathan Gray RN, Makes the first ever F-35B Lightning II jet take off from HMS Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 25, 2018. Royal Navy Photo
ABOARD HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH, OFF THE COAST OF NEW JERSEY — The Royal Navy took the next step to reestablishing its own carrier force this week when two F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters landed on the deck of its new carrier for the first time . Read More
U.K. Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson meeting U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis in London on Nov. 10, 2017. DoD Photo
The United Kingdom is set to its maintain its position as a global power by sea power investments in its new class of Dreadnought nuclear ballistic missile submarine and its new class of frigates, the U.K. Secretary of State for Defence said on Tuesday. Read More
Top: Artist’s concept of Royal Australian Navy Hunter-class guided-missile frigate. Bottom: (left to right) U.K. Royal Navy Arrowhead Type 31e design, Austal USA FFG(X) design and Lockheed Martin FFG(X) design
CAPITOL HILL – The U.S. Navy is in talks with Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom in the hopes that all four navies will design and field frigates with common combat systems – or at least interoperable ones – the deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for ships told USNI News. Read More
BAE Type 26 Frigate, BAE photo
BAE Systems won a $26 billion contest to design and build nine frigates for the Royal Australian Navy, according to Thursday media reports.
HMS Queen Elizabeth sails into her home port of Portsmouth. MoD Photo
LONDON — The U.K.’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers should be able to conduct warfighting missions without support from allied forces, an influential parliamentary committee insisted last week. Read More
HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived back in Portsmouth following successful First of Class rotary wing trials in the Atlantic. Royal Navy Photo
LONDON – Earlier this month, Britain’s national security adviser declared that the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers would be unlikely to ever deploy on high-end combat missions without support from friendly forces. Read More
