Authorities
UK: Rolls-Royce Installs First MT30 Gas Turbine into HMS Queen Elizabeth
Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has this week successfully completed the installation of the first MT30 gas turbine into the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, at Babcock’s Rosyth shipyard in Scotland. The MT30, at 36 megawatts (around 50,000 horsepower), is the wo
Morocco: Training Agenda for Exercise Saharan Express 2013 Finalized
Military and civilian maritime professionals finalized the training agenda for exercise Saharan Express 2013 (SE13) during the final planning conference at the Royal Moroccan Navy Headquarters in Casablanca, Jan. 21-23. Militaries from West Africa, Europe, and the United States joined together to pl
UK: RN Reservists Assume Key Roles in Two International Exercises
Royal Naval Reservists from HMS President in London played key roles in two large international exercises in the closing months of 2012. Lieutenant Commanders Howie San and Pat Shinner swapped their civilian careers, the former with US shipping giant AT&T and the latter for a financial software firm
HNLMS De Ruyter Deploys for Counterpiracy Mission
The frigate HNLMS De Ruyter left her home port of Den Helder for counterpiracy operations in the waters around Somalia. For this mission, the EU’s Operation Atalanta, the ship is carrying the new NH-90 helicopter, which will see its first operational deployment. The air defence and command frigate h
Russia to Construct Large Shipbuilding Yard on Black Sea Coast?
Russian shipbuilding and ship-repair facilities will be constructed on the Black Sea coast, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on January 18 at the conference on the development of Russia’s shipbuilding capability in the Black Sea region. As Dmitry Rogozin noticed, it’s important to immediate
NATO ACO Updates on Weekly Piracy Related Activities
During the reporting period of 09 – 16 January 2013 there were no piracy related incidents in the High Risk Area (HRA). The last of the hostages from the MV Orna have been released. The ship was pirated in Dec 2010 and freed in Oct 2012. However, a number of crew members had been kept […]
Polish Navy Takes Command Over Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One
On Thursday, January 17th, the Polish Navy assumed command over Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One. ORP ‘Kontradmiral Xawery Czernicki’ became the flagship of the Group and Cdr Piotr Sikora (Polish Navy) was appointed as the Commander of the SNMCMG1. The official Change of Command Ceremony
UK, Australia Forge Defence Ties
The UK and Australia will strengthen their long-standing relationship today with a new defence treaty to provide a framework for the many strands of co-operation between the two countries. The treaty, to be signed in Perth today, Friday 18 January, with the Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith,
High Powered UK Defence Delegation Visits Austal
Austal today welcomed a high profile defence delegation, including the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Defence, to its Western Australian facility. The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, the UK Secretary of State for Defence, was accompanied by Australia’s Minister for Defence, the Hon Stephen Smith,
Rear Admiral Tarrant Assumes EUNAVFOR Operational Command
On Wednesday 16 January 2013 Rear Admiral Duncan Potts handed over operational command of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) to Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant. Rear Admiral Potts has commanded EU NAVFOR, the European Union’s counter piracy mission off Somalia, since August 2011. This period has wi
UK: RFA’s Wave Knight Sets Sail for Counter Narcotics, Disaster Relief Patrol
A support ship to the Royal Navy has set sail for the West Coast of North America on a counter narcotics and disaster relief patrol for the next six months. Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ship Wave Knight left Portland to take up the task of the UK’s Atlantic Patrol Tasking (North), a year round commit
UK: HMS Somerset Leaves Devonport Royal Dockyard for Sea Trials
Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset has left Devonport Royal Dockyard for sea trials with significantly increased sustainability and fighting capability, following a successful nine-month docking period undertaken by Babcock; the first major maintenance period conducted under the full implementation of the
French Frigate Surcouf Rescues Ten Sailors
Early yesterday morning EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship FS Surcouf came to the rescue of ten mariners at sea 30 miles off the Somali Coast, after their boat, known as a dhow, started to sink into the deep ocean. The master of the Indian flagged dhow had sent out a distress call after the [&hellip
Somalia: EU NAVFOR Commanders Work Together to Fight Piracy
In the morning of 11th January 2013, the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes held a meeting on board his flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez with the Commander of the Combined Maritime counter-piracy task force, Commodore Muhammad Hisham SI (Pakistan Navy).