Scottish-born Gordon Arthur

1 week ago | navalnews.com | Gordon Arthur |Scottish-born Gordon Arthur

At the launch of the DCP, Prime Minister Chris Luxon said, “Global tensions are increasing rapidly, and New Zealand has stepped up on the world stage, but our current defence spending is simply too low.” The plan thus promises NZ$12 billion (US$6.65 billion) in defence spending over the coming four years, of which NZ$9 billion is new expenditure. The result will see defence as a proportion of GDP rise from the current 1% to slightly more than 2% within eight years.

1 month ago | navalnews.com | Gordon Arthur |Scottish-born Gordon Arthur

In February a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) task group – comprising the Type 055 cruiser Zunyi, Type 054A frigate Hengyang and Type 903 replenishment ship Weishanhu – sailed deep into the Tasman Sea, the body of water separating Australia and New Zealand. As the warships fired live rounds and caused commercial jetliners to divert, alarm rippled through the corridors of power in Australia and New Zealand.

1 month ago | navalnews.com | Gordon Arthur |Scottish-born Gordon Arthur

PT PAL is on track to deliver a landing platform dock (LPD) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy on schedule, according to an Indonesian shipbuilding official who was present at the NAVDEX 2025 exhibition held in Abu Dhabi from 17-21 February. Under the Al Maryah project name, construction of the UAE Navy’s largest naval vessel commenced last year. First steel was cut in late February 2024, and then its keel was laid a couple of months later at PT PAL’s Surabaya shipyard on 24 April.

2 months ago | navalnews.com | Gordon Arthur |Scottish-born Gordon Arthur

These USVs are called the MARSEC and, as their name suggests, the small fleet performs maritime security. Since 2023, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has been operating these 30-tonne vessels with two crew aboard. However, they are now being used in a fully unmanned mode.

Oct 18, 2024 | navalnews.com | Gordon Arthur |Scottish-born Gordon Arthur |Eunhyuk Cha |Alex Luck

In an Australian Securities Exchange filing on 15 October, the latter announced, “Civmec Limited and NVL B.V & Co KG (Naval Vessels Lürssen) of Bremen, Germany have entered into a non-binding heads of agreement detailing the framework for the transfer of ownership of Luerssen Australia Pty Ltd to Civmec Limited.”The proposed change of ownership requires governmental consent, but the two parties have immediately begun engaging with Canberra to gain all necessary approvals.