Aviation
US Navy launches USS Portland
U.S. Navy’s future amphibious assault ship USS Portland (LPD 27) was launched at the Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) shipyard February 13. The ship was transferred from the land level facility to the drydock, which was then flooded allowing her to float off the blocks. Captain Darren Plath, LPD
Change of Command in UK carrier’s primary squadron
820 Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, whose Merlin’s are set to be the first helicopters on the Queen Elizabeth carrier, now have a new commander. On February 8, Commander Jon Holroyd took the helm of RNAS Culdrose’s 820 Naval Air Squadron from his predecessor Commander Ros
ITS Carabiniere, FS Floreal train in waters off Seychelles
Operation Atalanta flagship ITS Carabiniere conducted a joint exercise with the French frigate FS Floreal in the waters off Seychelles’ main harbour on February 5, 2016. The exercise was coordinated by the ships’ commanding officers, Commander François Xavier Waroux and Commander Francesco Saladino.
HMAS Melbourne concludes Middle Eastern Deployment
Having seized almost a tonne of heroin and made more than 50 boarding operations, Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Melbourne is now returning home to Australia. The guided missile frigate handed over maritime security responsibilities to sister ship, HMAS Darwin, after five months of operations in
New Fleet Commander for Royal Navy
As the Royal Navy’s previous Fleet Commander has moved up the ladder to become the First Sea Lord, the Navy has welcomed his successor at a handover ceremony in Portsmouth, UK. Vice Admiral Ben Key CBE is taking up the role from outgoing Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Sir Philip Jones KCB who is to be
Image of the day: Farewell PASSEX at IFR 2016
The Visakhapatnam International Fleet Review 2016, concluded February 9 with Indian and foreign Naval ships undertaking a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) in the Bay of Bengal. As maritime traditions mandate, visiting foreign ships are generally escorted to the open seas on their way home upon their comple
HNLMS De Zeven Provinces starts Caribbean patrol
The Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provincien (The Seven Provinces) left her homeport Willemstad, the Netherlands, for the Caribbean Sea. The first ship of the De Zeven Provincien class will be used as a station ship in the Lesser Antilles, Caribbean Sea. A Belgian Navy Alouette III h
Royal Navy Sea Kings support Charles de Gaulle in the Gulf
Helicopters from the Royal Navy Auxiliary Fort Victoria have been providing direct front-line support to daily strikes from the French carrier Charles De Gaulle against Daesh in the Middle East. The distinctive Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control Mk7 helicopters are scouring Gulf skies and se
Aircraft carrier jumps to the rescue of distressed mariners
U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) rescued distressed mariners at sea, February 7. Ike received a distress call via bridge-to-bridge communications from the U.S.-flagged sailing vessel (S/V) Selket. The vessel was located 40-miles from Miami, with reports of a b
ESPS Tornado joins Operation Atalanta
Images: EUNAVFOR 2016 Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Victoria on February 6 left EUNAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta after four months of counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. Led by Commander Fernando José Suarez Fonseca, the ship’s crew contributed to Operation Atalanta which deters and disrupts pir
Operational Demonstration of IFR 2016 a full success
The eleventh Fleet Review comprising naval warships from Indian as well as frontline foreign navies took place February 6, 2016. After a 21-Gun salute and ceremonial Guard of Honour, President and the Supreme Commander of the armed forces of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, embarked INS Sumitra, an ind
NATO’s SNMG2 takes shape
German Navy’s combat support ship EGV Bonn, together with the Italian frigate ITS Libeccio and the Canadian frigate HMCS Fredericton, headed for the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish frigate TCG Barbaros joined them in Aksaz, Turkey. The group conducted a range of drills before and after their port cal
ITS Cavour conducts helicopter interoperability drills
Italian aircraft carrier, ITS Cavour, currently flagship of the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia, on February 3 carried out cross training with the Norwegian Multipurpose Platform Supply Vessel Siem Pilot using one of its embarked helicopters. An Italian EH-101 helicopter took off from ITS Cavour testi
IFR 2016: HMS Defender trains en route to Visakhapatnam
HMS Defender’s embarked helicopter held training drills in the middle of the Indian Ocean as the destroyer made her way to the port of Visakhapatnam in India. The Portsmouth-based warship is one of two dozen vessels from the navies of the world attending the Indian International Fleet Review, which