On Monday, 1 April 2014, the NATO counter-piracy task force (CTF-508) frigates ESPS CRISTOBAL COLON and ITS FRANCESCO MIMBELLI conducted an Air Defence Exercise (ADEX) with USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH and USS PHILIPPINE SEA, testing their surface warfare and anti-air warfare skills. Before commencing the
On Wednesday 2 April, German Navy frigate, FGS Hessen departed the waters of the Gulf of Aden and headed for home after completing four months of counter piracy patrols with the EU Naval Force. After a short port stop in Malaga, Spain, FGS Hessen will arrive in her home port in Wilhelmshaven on Th
Up to eight planes and nine ships will assist in today’s search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has determined a search area of about 223,000 square kilometres, 1680 kilometres west north-west of Perth. Eight military planes will assist in the s
U.S. defence contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. has received a $21.3 million completion type contract to provide the United Kingdom (UK) with engineering and technical support services and deliverable materials for the UK Trident II Missile System. This contract provides for technical pl
Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Scott Morrison MP, participated in a keel laying ceremony on March 31st for the sixth Cape Class Patrol Boat being manufactured at Austal’s Henderson shipyard in Western Australia. The vessel, Cape Leveque, is the sixth of eight Cape Class
Sailors and Marines from several East Coast-based expeditionary commands conducted an in port maritime staff exercise onboard USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) March 27-31 to refine their collective ability to respond to crises. The exercise scenario tested the group’s evaluation of, and response to, a large s
The Russian takeover of Crimea from Ukraine has NATO allies worried, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said yesterday (April 1). Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told reporters traveling with him that one of Russia’s reasons for invading Crimea was to protect ethnic Russians living there.
The frigate ‘Cristóbal Colón’ and the OPV ‘Relámpago’ visited Doha (Qatar) during the Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2014) Both warships made the most of their scheduled port calls in support of the national defense industry in what is considered the most imp
The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG), with embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), began participation in Exercise Ssang Yong 2014 March 27 off the coast of the Republic of Korea (ROK) with the ROK navy and Marine Corps. Ssang Yong, which means “twin dragons,” is an annual combined exe
The Spanish frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ (F-101) has arrived in Ferrol after 179 days out of her home port, integrated into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2). During this deployment the F-101 participated in operation ‘Active Endeavour’ fighting terrorism in the Mediterranean Sea and the coun
The U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) navies enhanced their combined and joint maritime capabilities after completing a series of drills and exercises ashore and at sea from March 8-31 in support of exercise Foal Eagle 2014. Exercise Foal Eagle in an umbrella of regularly scheduled, annual exercise
On March 31, Major General (MAJGEN) Tim Gall became the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand. At a Change of Command parade held at Trentham MAJGEN Gall was promoted to his new rank and took command of Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand (HQ JFNZ). MAJGEN Gall was raised in Invercargill and Nelson
A ceremony was held yesterday at Australian company, Marand, commemorating the delivery of the first ship of Australian made F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter vertical tails. The Honourable Dr. Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria, and The Honourable Michael Ronaldson, Senator for Victoria rep
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel welcomed yesterday Portuguese Minister of Defense Jose Pedro Aguiar-Branco to the Pentagon, and expressed to the minister his appreciation for Portugal’s many contributions to international security, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a Defe
