German Navy’s tanker support ship, FGS Spessart, joined Operation Atalanta on May 11, as part of Germany’s contribution to the EU’s efforts to deter and disrupt piracy off the coast of Somalia. The ship departed the Wilhelmshaven base and set sail for the Horn of Africa on April 15, 2016. Under the
German Navy’s Bremen-class frigate is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony on May 13, 2016. Due to construction works at the navy yard in Wilhelmshaven the ceremony will take place at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. The 4th Frigate Squadron Commander, Captain at Sea, Thorste
Spanish offshore patrol vessel ESPS Tornado, currently deployed to Operation Atalanta, recently visited the Seychelles. During the port visit Spanish sailors co-operated with Seychelles forces. The training began with theory lessons on board ESPS Tornado and was followed by practical training on Sai
Australia has contracted Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to build two replacement replenishment ships for the Royal Australian Navy. Although the ships would be built in Spain and not in Australia, what the government opposition objected to, Australian Defence minister Marise Payne said that more than
The U.S. Navy is progressing armament testing for its newly developed littoral combat ships. Norwegian Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has been contracted for the equipment and flight test support services for the second phase of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) foreign comparative testing (FCT) demonst
A small team of about 20 Royal Danish Air Force officers and enlisted men fly along the coast of Somalia, verifying shipping activity, distinguishing legitimate maritime traffic from suspected pirate vessels and identifying probable pirate activities off the coastline of Somalia. The crew operates a
Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Tyne recently completed her Operational Sea Training (OST) and is ready for continued operations in and around UK waters. The Portsmouth-based ship spent a few weeks under the direction of Flag Officer Sea Training North (FOST(N)), leaving her usual operating areas of th
The UK Ministry of Defense has awarded Qinetiq a £1m ($1.45m) contract to demonstrate the integration of unmanned systems into Royal Navy operations. Under the contract with the Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic Capability (MHC) team in the MOD’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), QinetiQ wil
Spanish Navy frigate Santa María (F-81) set sail from Rota Naval Base to integrate into the EU-led counter-piracy Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean until the end of September. The farewell ceremony was presided over by Commander 41st Escort Squadron, Captain Ramón Godín. Operation Atalanta is a
Turkey began construction of the nation’s first amphibious assault ship with a steel cutting ceremony on April 30. Based on the Spanish Navy’s landing helicopter dock (LHD) Juan Carlos I and designed by Navantia, the Turkish version of the ship will be named TCG Anadolu and have the pennant number L
French defense contractor Thales announced that it was awarded two contracts for the supply of above-water and underwater solutions for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). These contracts will see Thales modernize the Bang Rachan Class Minehunters and supply the combat, navigation and communication suite onb
European naval vessels rescued a total of 587 migrants trying to reach Europe in five unseaworthy boats. In the morning hours of April 29, a Spanish maritime patrol aircraft spotted the migrants and reported that one of the boats was in poor condition and semi-sunken. Four ships assigned to EUNAVFOR
A 1:100 scale model of the German Navy’s newest F 125 class of frigates was delivered to the German Navy Support Command. ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the German company responsible for the construction of the four frigates, transferred the model to mark the commissioning of a new F 125 test- and tr
The Royal Navy has welcomed its newly appointed Commander of the Maritime Reserves at a handover ceremony in Portsmouth. Commodore Martin Quinn, a Royal Navy Reservist, takes up the role from outgoing Commodore Andrew Jameson, who has been appointed Commodore Naval Legal Services. The ceremony took
