Top News of the Week September 23 – 29, 2013

VIDEO: DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Pending Christening (USA)

The christening of the U.S. Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer, Zumwalt (DDG 1000), will take place on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. The ceremony will begin at 11:00 A.M. and is open to the public.

UK DoD Buys HMS Protector

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has purchased the ice-breaker “HMS Protector” from GC Rieber Shipping.   The vessel has been on a bareboat charter to the buyer since the spring of 2011. 

GALLERY: A Taste of Operations aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth

Stunning images have been released to give an idea of front-line carrier operations in the Royal Navy in just a few years’ time. The team behind HMS Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales have produced life-like graphics of F35 Lightning IIs and Merlin Mk2s operating from the sprawling flight decks of the 65,000-tonne leviathans.

NUSHIP Canberra Meets New Ship

Ship design has changed dramatically since the first Royal Australian Navy fleet review in 1913, a fact demonstrated this week when the Royal Navy’s modern warship HMS Daring arrived alongside NUSHIP Canberra in Melbourne. 

Italy: NRF Warships Bound for Brilliant Mariner Exercise

A large fleet of warships from NATO’s Response Force (NRF) sailed from ports across Europe to take part in the maritime exercise “Brilliant Mariner” in the Mediterranean Sea that starts on Wednesday 25 September 2013 .  

Russian Navy Backs Down from International Fleet Review

The Russian Navy has had to withdraw its ships from attending this month’s International Fleet Review, the Royal Australian Navy advised today.   The Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, said the unfortunate change of plans was due a change in the positioning of the Russian ships.