His Royal Highness, who is the Commodore-in-Chief of the Maritime Reserves landed on the ship in a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter and was escorted on a tour around the departments of the Amphibious Assault Ship by the Ship’s Commanding Officer Captain Alex Burton. The visit included an exhilarating trip
This historic event is related to the Crown’s authority over the City of London. During the middle ages, successive Kings believed it was their right to extract tolls from vessels on the Thames. On the King’s behalf, the Constable of the Tower of London was empowered to demand these tolls as a perqu
Friends and service members gathered for a memorial service held aboard Naval Support Activity, Bahrain, July 23 to honor the lives of two fallen shipmates assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15, also known as the ‘Blackhawks.’ Naval Aircrewman 2nd Class Joseph P. Fitzmorris, 3
The “Fighting Tigers” of Patrol Squadron (VP)8 took part in a coordinated operations mining exercise (MINEX) with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), July 19. The exercise took place in northern Japan’s Mutsu Bay and consisted of VP-8 and JMDSF P-3C Orion aircraft operating with the Av
The Mexican navy and Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 “Pelicans” have integrated into the Combined Task Force (CTF) 176 on board USS Essex (LHD 2) for Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2012, June 29 to Aug. 3. CTF-176 Commander, Rear Adm. Peter Ellis, and his command staff, consisting of Sailors from Canada, Mexic
On Saturday, July 28, Ingalls Shipbuilding will christen the company’s ninth amphibious transport dock, Somerset (LPD 25). LPD 25 is named in honor of the courage of the passengers and crew members of United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, near Shanksville in Somerset County, Pa
The eyes of the Tigers are now on watch over the Channel as helicopters from 814 Naval Air Squadron join the massive security effort shielding the Olympics. Merlins from the Culdrose-based squadron – known throughout the Fleet Air Arm as the Tigers – have decamped from Cornwall to RNAS Yeovilton in
HMAS Darwin departed Pearl Harbor on 10 July, signalling the start of high end war fighting maritime serials as part of Exercise RIMPAC 2012. Belonging to the Carrier Strike Group, Darwin will work in company with aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, as well as RSS Formidable from Singapore, HMCS Ottawa fro
The Flying Tigers, normally based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Helston, sent two of their Merlin helicopters and 55 personnel to take part in Exercise Dynamic Mongoose, a newly-established NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare exercise in the Norwegian Sea. Operating from Sola Airbase, Stavanger in
HNLMS Rotterdam, the amphibious transport ship, left Den Helder to take part in the counterpiracy operation Ocean Shield. Once in Somali waters, the 320-strong crew will be joined by the staff of the NATO squadron, led by Dutch Commodore Ben Bekkering. Commodore Bekkering has overall command of the
During a handover ceremony at the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton Cdr Rimington took over the reins from Cdr Peter Hoare, who moves on to an appointment at the Fleet Headquarters in Portsmouth. “I have had a fantastic and rewarding time at 702 and although sad to be leaving such a great Squadron,
Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigate USS Nicholas (FFG 47) delivered more than four tons of cocaine and marijuana to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., seized from drug interdictions conducted in support of Operation Martillo, July 17. Crew members offloaded approximately 3,408 kilograms (7,50
The helicopter carrier HMS Ocean will sail up the River Thames to berth at Greenwich on Friday evening (July 13) and will be open to visit by the public on Sunday (July 15) – a unique opportunity to tour the largest ship in the Royal Navy Fleet. After training exercises in May, HMS Ocean has [&helli
Northrop Grumman Corporation has established a new training facility for Fire Scout unmanned helicopter operators that offers improved flight simulators, hands-on aircraft maintenance and classroom instruction. Opened July 10 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., the Fire Scout Training Center wi