Lithuania is now in command of Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE. German Navy Commander Gunther Brassel handed over command of SNMCMG1 to Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas during a brief ceremony on Thursday, 7 August, 2014. The ceremony was conducted by NATO Allied Mariti
On Wednesday 6 August 2014 Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen (German Navy) handed over Force Command of the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta to Rear Admiral Guido Rando (Italian Navy). Brigadier General Dick Swijgman, who recently assumed the role of Deputy Operation Commander of the EU Naval F
During the last week end naval air units of the Italian Navy were busy rescuing migrants on boats arriving from North African coasts. Between Friday and Sunday, over 2,500 have been rescued as part of the country’s Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) operation with several units, including frigates Aliseo and
As part of her counter-piracy role within the EU Naval Force, Spanish frigate ESPS Navarra has completed an escort at sea of a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel along the coast of Somalia. The merchant vessel’s ports of call were Kismayo and Mogadishu, which are both in Somalia. Both cities are us
After seven months, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá (Spanish Navy) handed over the role of Deputy Operation Commander (DCOM) of the European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta, to Brigadier General Dick Swijgman (Royal Netherlands Navy). The handover took place at the Operational Headquar
On Friday 25 July 2014 the EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen, took the opportunity to visit warship, ESPS Navarra. The Spanish Navy frigate recently joined the EU Naval Force and was in close vicinity to the EU flagship, FGS Brandenburg, in the Gulf of Aden. The purpose of the vis
DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Program Continues to Progress The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyer program continues to progress, meeting key program milestones on the path to Initial Operational Capability (IOC). As the prime mission systems integrator for the DDG 1000 ship class, Raytheon provide
USS Makin Island ARG Leaves San Diego Nearly 4,000 Sailors and Marines from the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are scheduled to depart San Diego July 25, for a deployment in support of the Navy’s maritime strategy. Senator: Australian Naval Shipbui
On 21 July four Italian Navy units faced emergency and rescued many would-be migrants coming from North African coasts. Corvette Sfinge rescued 95 people (including two women) from a raft; amphibious vessel San Giorgio went to the aid of two boats, rescuing 276 people (including 33 women and 5 chi
NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield warship ITS Mimbelli has concluded a port visit to Dar es Salaam designed to deepen ongoing cooperation with the Tanzanian Navy in a common effort to eradicate piracy off the coast of eastern Africa, protect maritime trade and ensure safe navigation in th
Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) has begun exercises in support of Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR (OAE), two days after Rear Admiral Brad Williamson (US Navy) assumed command. Williamson and his embarked international NATO command staff serve aboard the flagship, USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), which
UK’s Second New Aircraft Carrier Step Closer to Assembly Just days after the naming ceremony for her sister, a giant segment of the second of Britain’s two new aircraft carriers has been completed. Indian Navy’s INS Kuthar Damaged in Accident INS Kuthar, Indian Navy’s Khukri class corvette, was dama
