On 19 February, HNLMS De Ruyter, has stopped the activities of a group of suspected pirates approximately 120 nautical miles east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended and taken on board of the De Ruyter. The Dutch frigate that is deployed with the European Union N
In yet another step toward becoming a fully mission-capable aircraft carrier, Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson’s (CVN 70) weapons department worked around-the-clock Feb. 17-18, making her a warship poised to do the nation’s tasking. “A weapons onload is when we receive the am
On 12 February 2013, during a port visit by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez to Port Victoria in the Seychelles, the EUNAVFOR Force Commander, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met the Chief of Defence of the Seychelles People’s Defence Force
Three Merlin helicopters will go a-hunting off Sicily this weekend as they join the biggest anti-submarine exercise in western Europe. The aircraft, plus 75 personnel from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, are Britain’s contribution to NATO’s Proud Manta, a two-week war game involving the forces of ten All
The Swedish Coast Guard MPRA aircraft left the Seychelles on 15 February 2013 after a productive four month deployment to the Seychelles as part of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The Swedish coastguard Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, joined the operation in October 2012 and lef
HMS Exploit ventured up the River Avon to the bustling port of Bristol on Sea Weekend Number 8 of the 2012-2013 academic year during a cold, crisp and sunny February weekend. Exploit, tender to Birmingham University Royal Navy Unit (URNU) berthed in the port’s Cumberland Basin at the high profile Ar
Expanding cooperation in the field of maritime security was the main subject discussed during another set of bilateral staff talks between Polish and French Navies on February 14 in Gdynia (Poland). Vice admiral Ryszard Demczuk, Deputy Commander of the Polish Navy and Rear admiral Charles-Henri du C
On February 14, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CBE (UK Navy), took over command of the NATO Maritime Headquarters during a brief ceremony in Northwood, London. He takes over at a time of major change within NATO which sees Northwood as the Alliance’s sole maritime command with command of the range of NAT
Australian Minister for Defence Stephen Smith hosted today his Spanish counterpart Minister Pedro Morenés Eulate, who is staying in a visit to Melbourne. They were joined by the Minister for Defence Materiel, Dr Mike Kelly. Minister Morenés was in Melbourne to conduct bilateral discussions and to pa
Despite being thousands of miles from home, when it comes to Valentines Day even the toughest sailor and marine can’t escape the aim of Cupid’s arrow. And turning up the heat in the already scorching operational arenas of the Gulf and Afghanistan are the ship’s company of HMS Monmouth and 40 Command
Military representatives from eight Mediterranean countries from Africa and Europe came together with the U.S. Navy for the main planning conference in support of Exercise Phoenix Express 2013 in Garmisch, Germany, Feb. 5-8. Phoenix Express, set to take place in the spring, is an at-sea maritime exe
The three-day initial planning conference for Africa Partnership Station took place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 11-13. The primary operational elements of APS include international partner missions conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, with African n
Today the Spanish Armada Ship Cantabria arrived in Australia at the Port of Melbourne just 41 days after departing La Graña Naval Port on the 3rd of January this year. Cantabria sailed over 11,000 nm (approx 20,000 km) transiting the Suez Canal as well visiting locations such as Souda Bay, Crete and
After a 550-mile journey from the south coast, the forward island of HMS Queen Elizabeth has safely arrived in Rosyth to join the rest of the carrier. The iconic 700-tonne structure passed beneath the Forth Rail Bridge at mid-day yesterday and is now in the dockyard, where it will be raised on to th
