DefenceTalkThe United States will “help” the Philippines in the event that China occupies disputed islands in the South China Sea, the US Chief of Naval Operations said Thursday. Admiral Jonathan Greenert also stressed that the US would honour its mutual defence treaty with the Philippines amid a seething territorial conflict with China over the resource-rich […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-would-help-philippines-in-south-china-sea-navy-chief-50717/

DefenceTalkThe Navy and Marine Corps’ newest small unmanned aircraft system RQ-21A Blackjack began its initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) in early January at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. As part of IOT&E, this first low-rate initial production (LRIP) lot of the Blackjack, previously known as RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft […]https://www.defencetalk.com/rq-21a-blackjack-begins-operational-test-phase-50187/

DefenceTalkTwo men died after their fishing boat collided with a Japanese naval vessel in waters between two of the country’s main islands, a report said Thursday. Television footage showed the upturned hull of a small fishing boat in the Seto Inland Sea off Hiroshima after what the coastguard said was a collision at around 8:00 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/two-dead-after-japan-navy-collision-report-50129/

DefenceTalkDue to a lack of security agreements and codes of conduct, East Asian countries continue their naval arms race, increasing the risk of a military confrontation as rapidly expanding economies vie for scarce resources. The first of six Russian kilo-class submarines arrived at Cam Ranh naval base just in time for the New Year. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/southeast-east-asia-build-up-naval-capabilities-50107/

DefenceTalkNorthrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy have completed nine initial flight tests of the Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS), marking the half-way point in a process called envelope expansion. During envelope expansion, the test team validates the aircraft’s ability to operate at a range of altitudes, speeds and weights. The flights are taking place at […]https://www.defencetalk.com/northrop-navy-complete-nine-flights-of-triton-unmanned-aircraft-system-50065/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Navy on December 17, executed funding procurement for the second year of the V-22 multi-year procurement (MYPII) contract. This action identifies full funding to Bell-Boeing for the second year of the V-22 MYPII contract and provides $1.3B for the procurement of 22 V-22 aircraft (3 Air Force CV-22s and 19 Marine Corps MV-22s), […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-executes-second-year-of-6-5-billion-multi-year-procurement-contract-49955/

DefenceTalkThe realization is setting in that the military superiority the U.S. enjoyed over the two decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War is eroding. In part this is a consequence of the realization by potential adversaries that they were unlikely to prevail in a conventional conflict with […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navy-should-invest-in-game-changing-capabilities-49890/

DefenceTalkNorthrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the U.S. Navy after completing final assembly at the company’s unmanned systems center in Moss Point, Miss. The aircraft is joining the first one delivered to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif., to conduct flight testing before using the system for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/northrop-delivers-additional-mq-8c-fire-scout-to-the-us-navy-49757/

DefenceTalkNHI is proud to announce that the first NH90 NFH Step B has been delivered today to the Italian Navy. This fully operational naval helicopter will be assigned to the 5th Helicopter Squadron of the Italian Navy at the Sarzana-Luni base. The Italian Navy has ordered 56 NH90s, 46 of which in the NFH variant. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/delivery-of-the-first-nh90-step-b-to-italian-navy-49626/

DefenceTalkHuntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division today christened Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the first ship of the next-generation class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. “There is perhaps no more visible or powerful representation of America’s military strength than the hull that towers above us,” said U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who served as […]https://www.defencetalk.com/aircraft-carrier-gerald-r-ford-cvn-78-christened-at-newport-news-shipbuilding-49604/