The US Navy has commissioned a new warship into service while the Turkish Navy has taken delivery of the first unit in a new class of landing craft. Taiwan has unveiled a coast guard catamaran vessel that can be equipped with missile armament as construction continues on a future Russian Navy frigate. Lastly, funding has been secured for the construction of a new supply ship for the US Navy.
The US Navy commissioned its newest Freedom-class littoral combat ship (LCS) in a ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday, May 16.
USS Cleveland is the 16th and final Freedom-class LCS to be built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine under the Lockheed Martin-led shipbuilding team as well as the fourth US Navy vessel to be named after Ohio's second most populous city.
The ship will be homeported in Mayport, Florida, and is designed to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence operations.
Taiwan's coast guard on Friday unveiled the last of its 12 new high-tech ships that can carry missiles in the event of war, underscoring what the minister in charge of the service said was the changing nature of its mission in facing down China.
The Anping-class catamaran patrol ships are based on the navy's Tuo Chiang-class fast attack warships: highly manoeuvrable stealth vessels designed to take out larger warships while operating close to Taiwan's shores.
The coast guard version has space at the back to fit anti-ship missiles to be used as a backup to the navy.
Speaking at the naming ceremony in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung for the 12th vessel, named Donggang, Ocean Affairs Council minister Kuan Bi-ling said the coast guard no longer performs solely traditional law-enforcement duties.
Russian shipyard Severnaya Verf laid the keel the future Russian Navy frigate Admiral Gromov during a ceremony on Thursday, May 14.
The ship is the ninth frigate to be built under the Project 22350 series, otherwise known as the Admiral Gorshkov-class.
Once in service, the 135- by 16-metre frigate will be used for missions that will include anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, maritime border patrol, and escort for amphibious task forces.
The Turkish Navy has officially welcomed a new landing craft into service.
TCG Ç-159 is the first unit in a planned class of eight landing craft ordered by the Turkish Navy. Construction of all eight vessels is being undertaken at the Istanbul facilities of Anadolu Shipyard.
The new landing craft has an LOA of 79.9 metres, a beam of 11.7 metres, a maximum draught of 2.5 metres, a displacement of 1,156 tonnes, and a total cargo capacity of 420 tonnes. A vehicle load on a single voyage may include up to three main battle tanks or 260 fully armed troops.
General Dynamics NASSCO has secured $856 million in funding for the construction of the T-AO 217, a John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler for the US Navy.
This financial allocation follows an eight-ship block buy contract originally awarded in September 2024.
The company is presently contracted to deliver 17 vessels within the 20-ship programme of record. To date, five of these oilers have been delivered to the US Navy, while another five units remain under construction at the shipyard in San Diego.