Author Archives: David Arkwright

The 7th Astute-class submarine is to be named HMS Achilles, as approved by The King. The name is appropriate in light of the 80th anniversary of VE and VJ Day. Six ships have previously borne the name, earning six battle honours, including the River Plate and Okinawa. In a surprising announcement on Sunday evening, the Royal Navy announced the name change.

Everett, Washington – January 17, 2025

USS Kidd (DDG 100) Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) Arleigh Burke-class Flight I guided missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) Arleigh Burke-class Flight I guided missile destroyer USS Cape St. George (CG 71) Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USNS Millinocket (T-EPF-3) Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport

On this day in 1943, the Colossus Class Carrier HMS Venerable was launchedat Cammell Laird. She was decommissioned in 1997 after serving theRoyal Navy, then the Royal Netherlands Navy as HNLMS Karel Doorman and then Armada Arg, as ARA Vienticinco de Mayo.

The Royal Australian Navy successfully fired a Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missile for the first time in a test off the American West Coast.Australia is only the third nation to fire the long range cruise missile.HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41), the second of three Hobart-class air warfare destroyers in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), fired the Tomahawk missile during its ongoing ‘interchangeability deployment’ to the US. Throughout that deployment Brisbane has operated out of Naval Base San Diego where the ship also completed a four-week maintenance availability with the support of the US Navy.