Belgium and the Netherlands have agreed to buy 16 military ships jointly for an estimated cost of around four billion euros ($4.7 billion), reports said.

Dutch defence minister Ank Bijleveld and his Belgian counterpart Steven Vandeput, in Brussels for a NATO meeting, signed a memorandum of understanding to begin the purchase procedure, the Belga news agency said, citing Vandeput.

The agreement calls for four frigates, which would built in the Netherlands, and 12 mine hunters, with 16 ships to be split evenly between the two sides.

Bids have been requested from Dutch builder DSNS (Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding) and the Dutch affiliate of French group Thales, the Dutch ANP news agency reported.

For Belgium, "some candidates have already been chosen... The goal is to make a decision by the end of the year," Laurence Mortier, a spokesman for the Belgian minister, told AFP.

The new ships should be delivered starting in 2023, the Belgian navy said.

The neighbouring countries' navies have collaborated for more than half a century and they cooperate closely in defence matters.

Oshkosh wins more than $51M for vehicle support
Washington DC (UPI) Jun 08, 2018 - The Department of Defense on Thursday said it modified a contract with Oshkosh Defense for the procurement of newly minted tactical vehicles.

The contract award from U.S. Army Contracting Command is valued at more than $51 million and enables Oshkosh to provide the A1P2 technical data package to the Army's Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle variants, according to a Defense Department contract announcement.

The A1P2 version of the tactical vehicle provides upgrades to the vehicle's armor while maintaining speed and durability.

Work on the contract will occur in Oshkosh, Wis., and is expected to be complete in August 2019.

The total cumulative value to the contract will be obligated to Oshkosh Defense at time of award.

The obligated funds will be allocated from Army fiscal 2018 other procurement funds, the Pentagon said.

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Navy to start annual exercise Malabar in Guam
Washington (UPI) Jun 7, 2018
The U.S. Navy is hosting forces from India and Japan for the annual exercise Malabar, June 7 through 16 off the coast of Guam. Naval ships, aircraft and personnel convened Thursday in the Philippine Sea. It's the first year Guam is hosting the event, in which participants practice surface and anti-submarine warfare operations, combined carrier strike group operations, maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations, as well as visit, board, search and seizure operations, the Navy said in a statem ... read more