Having taken Operation Command of the EU Naval Force at the end of August, a priority for Major General Martin Smith MBE was to visit the Horn of Africa and the east African region to strengthen ties with the EU’s partners and highlight EU Naval Force’s commitment in the fight against Somali piracy.
EU NAVFOR Warship HNLMS Van Speijk escorted the World Food Programme (WFP) chartered vessel from 21-25 September before handing over to FGS Berlin allowing the Dutch Frigate to proceed north whilst the German Auxiliary Fleet Support vessel continued the escort from 26-29 September. “The broad range
USCG Commanding Officer of Activities Europe Temporarily Relieved The US Coast Guard temporarily relieved Capt. James B. Robertson, commanding officer of Activities Europe, Tuesday due to loss of confidence in his abilities to command. US Navy, Australia Order TIH Systems for Submarines DRS Laurel
On 28 September, EU Naval Force Flagship ITS Andrea Doria arrived in Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, Oman for a busy 4 day port visit. The port visit coincided with a port visit of the flagship of NATO Operation Ocean Shield, HDMS Esbern Snare and a visit of the Force Commander of Combined Maritime Forc
Recently, whilst conducting counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden in an area with a large number of fishing vessels, EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Navarra conducted a friendly approach on a dhow. To help strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers,
Yesterday morning, five NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2) arrived in Algiers for a scheduled port visit, during the Group’s deployment to the Mediterranean to enhance maritime security and readiness, and in support of NATO counter-terrorism Operation ACTI
Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet (BF) frigate “Yaroslav Mudry” (727) left the port of Salalah (Oman) for the Gulf of Aden on Friday. The Neustrashimy class frigate departed the main naval base of Baltiysk on 9 August to conduct anti-piracy missions. During this deployment the vessel sailed more than 6,
The Italian Navy engaged in three rescue operations saving the lives of hundreds of migrants that reached the Strait of Sicily from the North African coasts onboard rickety boats on Friday. ITS Sirio rescued 105 migrants from an inflatable boat. The vessel then reached the Singaporean motor ship S
US and UK Order Tomahawk Missiles from Raytheon Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $251,1 million firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 231 Tomahawk Block IV All-Up-Round missiles for the U.S. Navy (147 vertical launch systems and 64 capsule launch systems) and the United K
NATO and Japan conducted a joint counter-piracy drill in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, 25 September 2014, to test communications and tactical skills. It was the first such joint naval exercise between the two maritime fleets. “By synchronizing our activities and sharing information we stand a much
On Monday 22 September the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, met the Chinese Navy ship, CNS Changbaishan, in the Gulf of Aden. The EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, accompanied by the commanding officer of the flagship, Captain Gianfranco Annunziata, and an additional six offi
EU Naval Force frigate, ESPS Navarra, has resumed her counter-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean after a short visit to the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The visit was an opportunity for the crew to resupply the ship and have some rest and recuperation after spending a number of we
