After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, ESPS Rayo joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta on Tuesday 26 February. Having completed her first patrol in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Spanish warship is currently alongside Djibouti, together with EU
New Russian Stealth corvette Boiky of the Project 20380 commanded by Captain 2 Rank Sergey Lipsky successfully performed the ASW helicopter Ka-27 deck to the ship… Source: Russian Navy, March 1, 2013; Image: mil
A naval airman from Ramsgate serving in the helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious recently played his part in raising the profile of the forthcoming Battle of the Atlantic 70th anniversary. HMS Illustrious – known to her crew as Lusty – visited Liverpool recently and Naval Airman Chris Heale, 31, was a
At the end of February the Luxembourg Maritime patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) Detachment returned to the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta counter piracy mission, having taken over MPRA duties from the Swedish Coast Guard MPRA unit operating from the Seychelles. During their pr
In an unusual turn of events, the Royal Navy’s duty search and rescue helicopter was called to assist in four separate incidents in the Lake District on Saturday (23 Feb). All four calls were to assist with injured climbers on Helvellyn, Swirral Edge, Scafell Pike and St Sunday Crag. During the cour
After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, French frigate FS Courbet has joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The French frigate replaces the FS Surcouf, who has been operating within the EU counter-piracy operation since last December. On Monday 18 February
On 19 February, HNLMS De Ruyter, has stopped the activities of a group of suspected pirates approximately 120 nautical miles east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended and taken on board of the De Ruyter. The Dutch frigate that is deployed with the European Union N
In yet another step toward becoming a fully mission-capable aircraft carrier, Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson’s (CVN 70) weapons department worked around-the-clock Feb. 17-18, making her a warship poised to do the nation’s tasking. “A weapons onload is when we receive the am
BAE Systems, together with Thales UK, Babcock and the UK Ministry of Defence (the Aircraft Carrier Alliance) has ventured on a major endeavor with the construction of the biggest aircraft carrier ever to be built in Britain, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is the first unit from the Queen Elizabeth Class
Three Merlin helicopters will go a-hunting off Sicily this weekend as they join the biggest anti-submarine exercise in western Europe. The aircraft, plus 75 personnel from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, are Britain’s contribution to NATO’s Proud Manta, a two-week war game involving the forces of ten All
The Royal Navy warship HMS Somerset has operated with a helicopter for the first time in 12 months, after the ship underwent a maintenance period in dock. The re-embarkation of a Merlin aircraft from 829 Naval Air Squadron, based at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, Cornwall, represents an important
After a five-day visit, HMS Illustrious leaves Liverpool today – for possibly the last time – after kindling interest in impending Battle of the Atlantic commemorations. The 23,000-ton helicopter carrier has been berthed at the Cruise Liner Terminal on Liverpool’s waterfront since Valentine’s Day. H
HMS Illustrious arrived in Liverpool on Wednesday for the start of a five-day visit to the city. It brings a welcome opportunity for Lusty – as she is affectionately known – and her ships company to experience the city and the warm welcome the Royal Navy always enjoys from the people of Merseyside.
Stall testing on a new advanced linear induction machine, a core component in the EMCAT (Electro Magnetic CATapult) launch track system designed to launch manned and unmanned aircraft from various platforms, has been successfully completed by its developer, GE Power Conversion. Catapults incorporati
