USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) and U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), in support of Operation Martillo, recovered approximately 1,100 pounds of cocaine found adrift in the Pacific Ocean Oct. 27 in connection with illegal drug smuggling while on patrol off the coast of Central America. One
Five Royal Navy pilots have finished training and been awarded their “Wings” on active operation – the first time this has happened since the Falklands War. The five helicopter pilots, normally based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, were due to round off their intense training course on Royal Fl
Military air operations typically rely on large, manned, robust aircraft, but such missions put these expensive assets—and their pilots—at risk. While small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can reduce or eliminate such risks, they lack the speed, range and endurance of larger aircraft. These compleme
The 20th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) Brunei commenced at Muara Naval Base in Brunei, Nov. 10. Original CARAT partners, Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) have participated since the exercise began in 1995. CARAT Brunei marks the final phase of the 2014 series, which began
An F-35C Lightning II carrier variant joint strike fighter is prepared for launch aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The F-35 Lightning II Pax River Integrated Test Force from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 is currently conducting initial at-sea trials aboard Nimitz. Image: L
The presence of Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Argus is already being felt in Sierra Leone, one of the countries worst affected by Ebola. Within minutes of her arrival crew members were already unloading Department for International Development stores and 32 off road vehicles which are now being use
In early November, ITS Andrea Doria’s EH 101 helicopter carried out an impressive flares discharge as part of a training exercise. When authorized, ITS Andrea Doria’s EH101 helicopter starts the flares discharge sequence. The helicopter proceeds in bound to ITS Andrea Doria after finishing the disch
EU Naval Force warship BNS Leopold I carried out a friendly approach on a Kenyan fishing vessel in the Somali Basin. The fishing vessel has been initially sighted by the Belgian Navy warship’s Alouette III helicopter. When the warship was nearby, the fishermen invited BNS Leopold I’s team on board f
HMAS Success enjoyed a welcome change of tempo on 22 October when Commodore Warfare, Commodore Peter Leavy, visited the ship during its Mission Readiness Workup in the waters off Jervis Bay. He arrived in ‘Odin’ the ship’s Seahawk helicopter whilst the ship was at action stations and engaged in a da
At anchor two kilometres off the coast of Bougainville sits HMAS Choules, the Royal Australian Navy’s Landing Ship Dock, a 180 metre long, 16,000 tonne vessel, currently providing significant life support to almost 450 Australian and international defence force personnel deployed on Operation RENDER
Spearhead-class joint high speed vessel USNS Choctaw County (JHSV 2) is conducting proof-of-concept testing during Exercise Bold Alligator 2014 as an afloat forward staging base style platform. Bold Alligator 2014 is underway in multiple states and along the Eastern Seaboard. In addition to 18 other
Indian, Brazilian and South African Naval forces put up naval demonstrations for IBSAMAR IV Media Day at South African Navy Training base in Saldanha Bay, SAS Saldanha, on Thursday October 30, 2014. Inside the inner harbour two South African Naval ships, SAS SPIOENKOP and SAS UMHLOTI, were used as p
The Navy made aviation history Nov. 3 as an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter conducted its first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego. Navy test pilot Cmdr. Tony Wilson landed F-35C test aircraft CF-03 at 12:18 p.m. aboard USS Nimitz’s (CVN 68
Aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Philippine Navy (PN) and Philippine Air Force (PAF) in combined maritime operations, the annual interoperability exercise between the two forces codenamed “Dagit” formally began in Cavite City, Philippines, on Monday in an opening ceremony headed by the Phi
