A Scots Royal Naval officer has taken command of his first ship – the Plymouth-based frigate HMS Sutherland which has strong Scots roots. Commander Stephen Anderson assumed command 25 April at a supersession ceremony in HM Naval Base Devonport when he took over from second-in-command Lieutenant Co
Russian shipyard Nevsky held a keel-laying ceremony of the medium-sized sea tanker “Academician Pashin” pertaining to the 23130 project, on April 26th 2014. The ceremony included traditional christening of the base section of the tanker. The construction of the ship is being carried out in accorda
On the eve of Anzac Day commemorations, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Darwin seized and destroyed more than one tonne of heroin. The record 1032 kilograms of heroin was discovered on board a dhow in the Indian Ocean, approximately 27 nautical miles east of Mombasa, Kenya. Late on the 23rd Apr
Thales announces the delivery of the final standard for the maritime patrol aircraft to Turkey as part of the MELTEM II programme, for which Thales is the prime contractor. To this day, five of the six aircraft have been delivered to this standard, with the sixth set for delivery before the summer
The frigate ‘Cristóbal Colón’ (F-105), flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) is currently participating in operation ‘Ocean Shield’ fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean. In the course of a scheduled port of call in the Seychelles Islands, the ship conducted a series of training ac
Work has begun to create a new £6m headquarters to serve as the hub of the Royal Navy’s most important theatre – the Middle East. Armed Forces Minister Mark Francois MP broke ground with a golden shovel at the site of the new UK Maritime Component Command (UKMCC) complex in Bahrain. Nowhere else o
Ultra has agreed to acquire Forensic Technology WAI Inc (“Forensic Technology”) for an initial cash consideration of CAD $94m. Additional payments of up to $6m will be made subject to earnings growth over the next two years. Ultra has agreed to acquire Forensic Technology from private investors and
On Saturday 26 April the master of a dhow spoke of his relief after 6 armed pirates, who had taken his vessel and crew hostage, fled the scene after sightings of an EU Naval Force Spanish maritime patrol and reconnaissance (MPRA) aircraft. The master confirmed his ordeal to members of the Boarding
A Pair of Aviators serving with 771 (Search and Rescue) Naval Air Squadron based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose are celebrating after chalked-up two significant ‘high points’ in their flying careers. Lieutenant Commander Paul Robertson, who serves as an Observer with the Fleet Air Arms SAR Un
he defence of NATO’s eastern border and the developing crisis in the Ukraine topped the agenda as the Commander of NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Naples, Admiral Bruce W. Clingan, met with The Honourable Mircea Dusa, Romania’s Minister of National Defence and Lieutenant General Stefan Danila, the
During a port visit to Djibouti, Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen, met with the Chinese Military Attaché to Djibouti, Ji Mingzhou, on board the EU Naval Force flagship FGS Brandenburg. During the meeting they discussed the key issues related to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa and the successfu
Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight returned to Portland, Dorset, on April 24th following a 15-month deployment to the Caribbean. The fleet replenishment tanker has been operating as part of the Royal Navy’s Atlantic Patrol Task (North); this is part of the UK’s year round commitment to the re
