The flagship of the Royal Navy, HMS Bulwark, has sailed into Greenwich, in support of activities for the 350th anniversary of the Royal Marines. The 18,500 tonne Landing Platform Dock came alongside at Greenwich yesterday and now begins a packed programme of events. Her Commanding Officer, Captain
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) transiting the Black Sea on May 24. The cruiser entered the Black Sea on May 23. Vella Gulf is deployed in a multi-mission role in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility to contribute to regional maritime security and to suppor
The US Navy’s Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), carrying 1,000 marines, has sailed into the Mediterranean Sea and could be used for evacuation of American personnel from Libya, writes the Associated Press. The warship will remain in the region as a precautionary measure, but w
The Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ‘Tarifa’ has just departed from Cartagena to participate in the International Joint Deployment Plan in the Western Mediterranean Sea to monitor the fishing campaign of the Bluefin Tuna. This operation forms part of the European Fishing Agency initiativ
Personnel from European, North African and U.S. Naval forces began preparing for the underway segment of Phoenix Express Exercise 2014 (PE14) by standing up the maritime operations center in Sigonella, May 26. Planners from 10 countries have begun tracking ships leaving ports and integrating logis
Last Friday, 23 May 2014, the five NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (SNMCMG1) arrived in Riga, along with FGS Elbe, which assumed its new role as flagship for the Group upon Germany’s assumption of command on Monday, May 26. SNMCMG1 is visiting the port as part
The Fleet Air Arm is undergoing a vast programme of transition as all front line aircraft are replaced over the coming years. The Lynx Wildcat Maritime Force (LWMF) at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is already deep into this transition, successfully introducing the Wildcat Helicopter Mar
UK Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has delivered a speech at the annual meeting of the Chiefs of European Navies in Portsmouth. During his speech to the Chiefs of European Navies on 23 May, Hammond was clear on the role the addressed audience must play in explaining the importance of Europe’s par
More Ukrainian Ships Pull Out from Crimea The evacuation operation of the Ukrainian Navy ships from the Crimea region resumes as more ships redeploy to other naval bases. Yesterday, May 20th saw the departure of several ships and vessels under the agreed arrangements of the Joint Commission of the R
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) will enter the Black Sea Friday, May 23, to promote peace and stability in the region. Vella Gulf’s mission is to work with NATO allies toward mutual goals, demonstrating the United States’ commitment to strengthening and improvin
The Royal Navy’s Flagship HMS Bulwark has given personnel from the Army and the RAF a taste of life on the ocean wave which ended with a steely display of her amphibious skills. Nearly 350 students, including international officers, from the Advanced Command and Staff Course from all three Service
Earlier this morning, the UK Ministry of Defence sent a military aircraft to join the search and rescue effort for the missing British sailors. The UK is providing military assistance in the search for the four British sailors who went missing last week after their yacht, the Cheeki Rafiki, began
A considerable load has been put on France due to its intention to continue with the construction and sale of Mistral-class ships to Russia. France said that the delivery of two warships to the Russian Navy will not be affected by the current EU sanctions imposed on Russia amid the Ukrainian crisi
Russian and Chinese navy ships have teamed up in a bilateral naval exercise called the Joint Sea-2014. The Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is paying an official visit to Beijing to, inter alia, talk about the long-awaited gas deal between the two countries, joined his Chinese counterpart Xi
