The Fleet Flagship of the Royal Navy, HMS Bulwark, returned to her base port of Plymouth on 15 December from its amphibious and diplomacy deployment. After four months deployed to the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf on the amphibious exercise Cougar 14, the vessel docked in Devonport Naval Base. HMS
On 5 December 2014, the French frigate Guépratte sailed out of the Suez Canal into the Red Sea, ready and willing to support Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-terrorism operations under Canadian-led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150). For this mission, Guépratte’s crew have four goals: gathering
U.S. 6th Fleet officially welcomed its new commander at Naval Support Activity Naples Capodichino in Naples, Italy, Dec. 14. Vice Adm. James G. Foggo III officially assumed command of U.S. 6th Fleet from Vice Adm. Phil Davidson. Davidson will take the reins of U.S. Fleet Forces Command in Norfolk. D
The UK MOD has awarded a £270 million contract to upgrade the Royal Navy’s Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. The Spearfish programme supports 60 jobs in Portsmouth where the torpedo is designed and manufactured with an additional 40 new skilled engineering vacancies being recruited for work on the pr
The guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) is moored pierside at Marathi NATO Pier Facility in Souda Bay, Greece. Oscar Austin, homeported in Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and
Commodore Aage Buur Jensen and key members of his staff visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) on Friday, 12 December 2014, to formally hand over command of Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD Task Force 508 (TF-508). Vice Admiral Peter Hudson, C
HMS Defender returned to her home in Portsmouth on December 12, after more than six months deployed on high intensity operations in the Northern Gulf. The ship has spent part of her deployment supporting the US-led Carrier Task Group and her F18s conducting strikes in the fight against ISIL. The Typ
The U.S. Navy’s duty oiler in the Mediterranean Sea, fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195), is currently finishing a six-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea supplying the U.S. Navy and its allies with fuel and supplies at sea, Dec. 11, 2014. Grumman, a Military Sealift Comman
US Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) arrived to Souda Bay, Greece, on December 10. The vessel pulled into the Marathi NATO pier facility during a scheduled port visit. Leyte Gulf, homeported in Norfolk, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of
849 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) has set off for the Gulf this week to support Royal Navy and coalition forces on operations in the Middle East. 849 NAS has played an essential role in training the Culdrose Sea King Force aircrew and engineers as well as supporting frontline operations. It has also supp
Representatives from international counter-piracy organisations, as well as nations deploying warships independently, have gathered in Bahrain to discuss how they can best work together to combat the threat posed to shipping by criminal gangs from Somalia. NATO chaired the 34th Shared Awareness and
With less than a week to go before they arrive back in the UK, HMS Bulwark’s embarked Royal Marines put on a showstopper by storming a beach in Gibraltar. Exercise Sea Snake saw commandos from Charlie Company 40 Commando and 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines (ASRM) land on East Beach in Gibraltar for
Whilst deployed on operations in the Middle East, HMS Defender’s helicopter Miss Adventure has celebrated her 35th birthday. The Westland Lynx Mk 8 helicopter normally based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovil has been embarked on the fifth Type 45 Destroyer since the Ship departed Portsmouth at the b
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon today visited Defence facilities in Plymouth and Devonport, meeting key Royal Navy personnel and engaging with city officials and industrial partners over forthcoming investment plans to transform part of the naval base for commercial use. The visit marks a number of
