There were big smiles all round when four air crew from 723 Squadron dropped in for a special visit to children from Darwin’s family cancer charity Camp Quality. The Squadron’s AS350 Squirrel helicopter landed before a delighted crowd of children, parents and volunteers at the Australian Aviation He
Sailors of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 returned to the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) May 11. Vinson is currently transiting to her homeport in San Diego following a six-month deployment to the Western Pacific and Mid
Earlier today, following the decision taken on 23 March 2012 by the Council of the European Union to allow the EU Naval Force to take disruption action against known pirate supplies on the shore, EU forces conducted an operation to destroy pirate equipment on the Somali coastline. The operation was
USS George Washington (CVN 73) departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, May 12 to conduct sea trials in preparation for the ship’s next patrol. George Washington sailed from its Truman Bay pier into open waters to begin a certification process that will ensure the ship, its equipment and crew are
Barnstaple and Aberdeen based engineering firm J+S recently returned from exhibiting at the biennial Defence Security Association exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is the second time J+S have demonstrated their capabilities in the Far East following their successful attendance at Oil & Gas
On 11 May EU NAVFOR frigate HNLMS Van Amstel released a fishing dhow and her Iranian crew off the coast of Somalia. The dhow had been pirated 10 days earlier and was being used to carry out pirate attacks on merchant vessels. Yesterday afternoon, during a surveillance flight 400 nautical miles off t
After a visit of the ship and particularly the operational room and presentation of the sensors and weapons, the Djiboutian coast guard was briefed on the measures to be implemented when under pirate attack. This was also the opportunity to brief them on Best Management Practices and protective meas
Six sailors and marines from the nation’s flagship were dumped in a remote bay in Scotland and ordered by their captain to rejoin HMS Bulwark 550 miles away. In the latest challenge set by the assault ship’s captain, the team secured free travel, free food, free accommodation and even met Royalty du
Maritime forces participated in a multinational maritime interdiction operation (MIO) training exercise at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Center in Souda Bay, Greece, as part of exercise Phoenix Express 2012 (PE12), May 10. Service members from Moroccan naval vessel Mohamed V (F 611) and g
The NZ Defence Force will be participating in the world’s largest international maritime exercise, Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC 2012), conducted near Hawaii from 29 June to 3 August. HMNZS TE KAHA, HMNZS ENDEAVOUR, the Operational Diving Team and the Mine Counter Measures Team, a Rifle Platoo
Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that its joint venture with Rockwell Collins, Vision Systems International, LLC (VSI), a leader in advanced Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) technology, has received a new contract with a total value of more than $32 million for the delivery of the Joint Helmet Mounted Cuein
Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) delivered USS Virginia (SSN 774) back to the fleet following the completion of the first major maintenance availability for the Virginia class, May 5. The ship arrived at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Sept. 1, 2010, for an Extended Docking Selected Restricted Availabi
Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta announced May 10 that the President has made the following nominations: Navy Capt. John D. Alexander has been nominated for appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half). Alexander is currently serving as commanding officer, the USS Abraham Lincoln, Everet
Navigating the picturesque confines of the north and south islands of New Zealand proved to be the perfect training assessment for HMAS Newcastle. In her capacity as the training task group ship, HMAS Newcastle deployed to New Zealand to conduct training and assessment for the Long Navigation Course
