A French flag officer embarked in the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle took command of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command’s Task Force 50 on December 7. The commander will be leading coalition naval strike operations for Operation Inherent Resolve, the purpose of which is “to fig
German Bundestag authorized the deployment of German troops and units against ISIS in Syria on December 4, 2015. The German Navy will support the French group assembled around the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle. The frigate FGS Augsburg will be sent to aid the aircraft carrier’s operat
A combined US/UK task group recently finished a Mine Countermeasure (MCM) exercise in the Persian Gulf. The scenario for the exercise was to clear ports of mines thereby allowing civilian vessels to pass through. The task group was commanded by Commander Paul Ottewell, Royal Navy, and made up of US
A frigate, four to six reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial replenishment of French fighter jets will be the German contribution to the French fight against ISIS. The German government appropriated these assets one day after the meeting between the French President Francois Hollande and the German Ch
Danish Navy ship HDMS Absalon and the Republic of Korea Navy ship ROKS Chungmugong joined forces for mutual training in the Gulf of Oman this week. The sea training began with replenishment-at-sea (RAS) navigation manoeuvres. HDMS Absalon made the first of these manoeuvres with ROKS Chungmugong stan
The Northern Fleet large anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship Vice Admiral Kulakov, finished passing the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea into the Red Sea on November 20. Prior to entering the Red Sea offshore ocean zone, the crew of the Udaloy-class destroyer conducted training on damage control
The United States Naval Aviation rejoined the fight against ISIL November 19 when AV-8B Harriers launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). The Harriers from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM)162 conducted their first missions over Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Reso
The U.S. Navy’s amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) completed its first transit of the Suez Canal and entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Nov. 9. The San Antonio-class ship completed the transit after conducting operations in the Mediterranean Sea and will rejoin the Kea
As the Royal Navy’s HMS Middleton set sail for the Persian Gulf, HMS Atherstone started her 6,700-mile trip back home. During her time in the Gulf, Atherstone has worked on ensuring security and stability in an area that contains three of the world’s six maritime chokepoints. She has covered some 44
UK and the Royal Navy started the construction of a permanent naval base at the Mina Salman Port, Bahrain, on October 31. The works on the new base will include upgrades to the existing facilities at the Port, providing the Royal Navy with a forward operating base and a place to plan, store equipmen
The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG) entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) Oct. 31, after completing theater security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet. The KSGARG is comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LP
The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) Nov. 1. While on station in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO, the ARG and MEU supported theater security cooperation efforts and provided a forward naval presence w
Military Sealift Command (MSC) has exercised a one-year renewal option for AAR and its Airlift division to perform vertical replenishment (VERTREP) services for the U.S. Navy’s 5th and 7th Fleets in the Mediterranean Sea, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean, the company announced Oct 26. The one-year rene
The U.S. government approved a possible sale of four Lockheed Martin Corp multi-mission warships to Saudi Arabia, October 20. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the U.S. Congress about the possible sale of a derivative of the US Navy’s Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ships, made by Loc
