Commanded by Commander Andreas von Kielmansegg, FGS Bayern and her crew have joined the EU NAVFOR taskforce in the Indian Ocean for a five month deployment to protect World Food Programme (WFP) and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) shipping from pirate attack. The ship and crew are completel
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems is not planning a joint venture with the French shipyards group DCNS, nor are there any plans for a merger or other partnership or alliance with the French shipyards. No talks on this are currently being held by the companies and no talks are planned. While there have bee
The Royal Navy’s Flagship, HMS Albion, and its largest ship, HMS Ocean, are reunited off the coast of Libya for a transfer of stores, ammunition and personnel. The two Devonport based amphibious ships are both part of the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group, but for the past six weeks HMS Albion
Four tests of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava including one salvo launch will be conducted by SSBN Yury Dolgoruky till 2011 is over, told Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Vysotsky on June 31. “Under Bulava flight development test program, we plan to carry out four launches
HMS Sutherland fires her main 4.5-inch gun as part of NATO’s Operation Unified Protector to safeguard the civilian population of Libya. Destroyer HMS Liverpool has returned to front-line duties off Libya, taking over from frigate HMS Sutherland. The type 23 had a busy week on the NATO tasking, runni
Planning for the fourth and last Vanguard class Long Overhaul Period and Refuel (LOP(R)), to be undertaken by Babcock at Devonport Royal Dockyard on HMS Vengeance, has reached an important milestone with the submission of the tender, following identification of the full work package requirement, for
BMT Defence Services Ltd, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, will use the prestigious DSEi exhibition in London next month as a platform to showcase its global capabilities in both naval design and acquisition support. BMT will also launch a new and unique service to the defence industry designed specif
On July 28th, after sixty days proudly serving under the European Flag, the French Frigate FS COURBET completed her participation as an EU NAVFOR warship in Operation ATALANTA. During the period, FS Courbet has conducted a multiplicity of tasks in the force, primarily conducting the EU NAVFOR’s main
The Gowind offshore patrol boat L’Adroit began its first sea trials on Wednesday 27 July for DCNS to validate the seakeeping and other nautical qualities of the vessel. These initial sea trials mark the beginning of the next phase of the ambitious Gowind OPV programme, which spearheads DCNS’s effort
HMS Albion, Flagship of the Royal Navy, visited Valetta, Malta, between 25 and 27 July 2011 for a short operational stand down following a period East of Suez. The 18,500 tonne assault ship has had a busy few months undertaking amphibious exercises in the Mediterranean in May, supporting NATO mariti
On 22 July 2011, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, Italian Navy, handed over the responsibility of the Deputy Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Op ATALANTA, to Rear Admiral Christian Canova, French Navy. The handover was conducted in the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwo
The Type 23 has been called away from the Response Force Task Group to become the primary surface combatant in support of the NATO Operation Unified Protector. Sutherland has already carried out her first boarding operation, under the auspices of UN Security Council Resolutions 1970 and 1973, and se
Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland has been sent at full pelt to support NATO on Operation Unified Protector, protecting the people of Libya. Temporarily split off from the Cougar deployment and the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), HMS Sutherland has dashed her way through the Mediterranean to support
On the 19th of July, EU NAVFOR French Frigate Courbet completed another safe and successful escort of a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel from Kenya to Somalia, enabling much needed food-aid to reach the country where a famine has been declared. Since December 2008, the European Union’s first navy o
