On 16th March the Force Commander of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean visited the Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel, ESPS Relampago for the first time since the ship arrived in the piracy high risk area. ESPS Relampago joined Operation Atalanta, the EU
After two and a half years protecting the World Food Programme (WFP) ship, MV Caroline Scan, from pirate attack off the coast of Somalia, the EU Naval Force has bid the vessel and her hard-working crew a fond farewell. In April 2014, MV Caroline Scan will be entering a period of maintenance, so th
It’s not every day that passengers on board a civilian cruise liner would get so close to a warship on operations that they could wave to each other, but this is just what happened last week when the German cruise liner, AIDAdiva, with over 2,000 passengers on board, met German frigate FGS Hessen at
The Universities Royal Naval Units’ (URNU) ships, HMS Example, HMS Blazer and HMS Puncher, will call in at Ramsgate during their Easter deployments. Example is Northumbria universities’ ship and she arrived at Ramsgate Marina on Saturday March 29, remaining in town until Monday. Blazer, which is t
Rolls-Royce has been awarded a contract to support the US Marines Corps fleet of KC-130J air-to-air refuelling tankers, worth more than $50 million. The MissionCare™ contract covers sustainment services for more than 200 Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engines as well as propellers and other propulsion system
Ships and embarked squadrons from the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HST CSG) completed operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOR) March 28. The strike group completed a 120-mile transit of the Suez Canal, marking the end to more than seven straight months of operations in th
“ We are observing concentration of Russian troops and their manoeuvres on Ukrainian border with the Russian Federation. The absence of invading interests at the official level should not diminish attentiveness and watchfulness of the Ukrainian army. Our servicemen are on full alert. Generally, this
Ahead of Chinese President Xi’s visit to the European Union in Brussels, a significant naval exercise has taken place in the Gulf of Aden to demonstrate the growing cooperation between the EU and China on issues of international security and defence. EU Naval Force warships, FS Siroco and FGS Hess
The Royal Navy’s ice patrol ship HMS Protector has ventured further south than ever before – just 1,500 miles from the South Pole – as she continued her scientific work around the frozen continent. On the latest stage of her work to improve seafaring charts of remote waters, supporting the work of
Korea Opts for Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Aircraft The Republic of Korea has formally selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft for its F-X fighter acquisition program. USS Elrod Takes Over Escort Duties of Libyan Seized Tanker The U.S. Navy’s USS Elrod relieved the USS Stout of
Royal Marines from 42 Commando prepare to launch an amphibious assault from HMS Bulwark’s landing dock within Exercise Joint Warrior. The exercise, which began on 25 March, will engage more than 35 warships, 25 different types of aircraft, and a total of nearly 13,000 personnel from the various pa
Russia could provide China with its latest Kalina-class submarine, the Voice of Russia writes. Official Beijing had initially requested from the Russian Government to provide its Navy with four Lada-class submarines. The plan was to revamp these subs with Chinese engines and an electronic fire-con
