Authorities
ESPS Santa Maria relieves ESPS Tornado in Operation Atalanta
EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta has welcomed back the Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Santa Maria. The ship was previously deployed on Op Atalanta in 2011 and will be conducting counter-piracy patrols over the coming five months. ESPS Santa Maria has an embarked Seahawk helicopter on board, allowing her to
Combined Maritime Forces and EU NAVFOR bolster friendship
Rear Admiral Ken Cheong, Commander of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, recently visited the EU NAVFOR’s operation Atalanta flagship, FGS Bayern in Salalah in the Gulf of Aden. Radm Cheong, who works for Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), met the Force Commander EU NAVFOR, Radm Jan Kaack, onboard FGS Baye
USS John P. Murtha delivered to US Navy
Huntington Ingalls Industries delivered the U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious ship, the USS John P. Murtha. The 10th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock to be built by HII, John P. Murtha (LPD 26) was delivered during a ceremony at Pacasgoula, Mississippi, May 13. LPD 26 is named in honor of the
German dive support ship heads for mine clearance maneuver off Lithuania
German Navy’s diver support ship FGS Rottweil (M 1061) set sail for Klaipeda, Lithuania on May 12. The vessel and its crew will join minesweepers from different nation to take part in NATO’s ‘Open Spirit’ maneuver. Open Spirit arose from from the exercises of the joint mine countermeasures squadron
ESPS Meteoro helps recover autonomous underwater vehicle
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel Meteoro recently helped technicians from the PLOCAN (Canary Islands Oceanic Platform) recover a damaged glider travelling from Madeira to the Canary Islands conducting several oceanographic surveys. The AUV, also known as Glider, was recovered 40 miles north of
Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System opens in Romania
The Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System in Romania was deemed as operationally certified in a ceremony held in Deveselu, May 12, and thereby marked a key milestone to complete Phase II of the European Phased Adaptive Approach. This ballistic missile defense system represents an increase in the capab
Spanish minesweeper joins NATO’s standing maritime group
Spanish Navy’s Segura-class minesweeper ESPS Turia will join NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 2 which operates in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Crewed by 44 sailors and commanded by Captain Enrique Miguel García Morera, the ship set sail from Naval Base Cartagena, Spain on May 12 and i
Raytheon lands Evolved Sea Sparrow missile contract
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $76,1 million contract for the procurement of Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) Block I production material. Raytheon’s ESSM missile is an international upgrade of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile. The missile was developed by
USNS Mercy prepares for lead role in Pacific Partnership 2016
Crewmembers aboard the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) recently participated in an abandon ship drill while in its homeport at Naval Base San Diego. Mercy is preparing for Pacific Partnership 2016, the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparednes
Australian Navy reinforces Pacific Island’s fisheries patrols
The Royal Australian Navy has joined the fight against illegal fishing around Niue, securing greater maritime patrols of the Pacific island nation’s waters by having neighboring countries’ boats patrol Niue waters. The agreement was reached during a planning conference on Niue held in late April. Ma
China slams US Navy’s ‘illegal’ South China Sea sail-by
China has blasted this week’s sail-by a U.S. Navy warship in the South China Sea, deeming it provocative and illegal. To remind, the USS William P. Lawrence destroyer on Tuesday, May 10, performed a freedom of navigation operation near the Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands. Responding to the o
German tanker joins Op Atalanta off the coast of Somalia
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 Bremen-class frigate changes command
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
Northrop Grumman performs AN/SLQ-32(V7) critical design review
American aerospace and defense technology company Northrop Grumman informed that it has conducted a critical design review (CDR) for the U.S. Navy’s Block 3 AN/SLQ-32(V)7 electronic warfare system. The company said the CDR, a key component of the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP