On 19 and 20 November, during her recent port visit to Dar Es Salam, EU Naval Force warship BNS Leopold I hosted members of the Tanzanian Navy in support of EUCAP Nestor’s initiative to conduct Local Maritime Capability Building (LMCB). On the first day, BNS Leopold I’s crew organised several worksh
Brisbane gave a warm welcome to RSS Persistence recently when the Singaporean Navy ship made a port call en route to a joint Australian and Singaporean Exercise being conducted off the coast of Queensland. The Commanding Officer Naval Headquarters South Queensland, Commander Peter Tedman, said the c
After returning home after spending most of 2014 away from their home port, the ship’s company of HMAS Anzac paused at Fleet Base East take a united stand against violence against women. With one woman killed each week in Australia as a result of domestic violence, Anzac’s crew took the time to draw
During their recent port visit to Djibouti, Dutch warship HNLMS van Speijk hosted a visit from the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management, or CIVCOM, which is an advisory body within the European Union dealing with crisis management. The delegation consisted, amongst others, of sixteen
The Council has extended the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta by two more years, until 12 December 2016. The Operation’s main focus is the protection of World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to Somalia; and the deterrence, repression and disruption of piracy off the Somali c
The Royal Australian Navy’s newest maritime combat helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’, was introduced to the Australian public on 14 November with a spectacular flight over some of Sydney Harbour’s most iconic sites. It was a welcome return home to Australia from the United States for members of
The future Commander of Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 150 (CTF-150), Commodore Brian Santarpia (CAN N), visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to discuss coordination and interaction with NATO forces in the Indian Ocean. During the visit, Commodore Santarpia met with MARCOM Deputy Comma
Defence force personnel from Australia are in China for Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2014 which begins today. The exercise aims to enhance coordination and cooperation between Australia, China and New Zealand in responding to unforeseen disasters that occur in the Asia-Pacific. This year the exercise
As the sun slipped below the horizon, the Australian White Ensign was lowered for the final time on Navy’s three remaining Landing Craft Heavy (LCH). Past and present crew from HMA Ships Brunei, Labuan and Tarakan watched from the HMAS Cairns quarterdeck as the ships were decommissioned after almost
Australian Defence Force vessels and aircraft have completed monitoring a Russian Surface Task Group that was operating in the Coral Sea to Australia’s north. The Russian ships did not enter Australian territorial waters and have now departed the Coral Sea. The flotilla included Russian Federation S
HMAS Toowoomba has intercepted a vessel carrying approximately 388 kilograms of heroin in international waters off the east coast of Africa. The drug seizure on 17 November 2014 was part of a determined multi-national campaign to disrupt drug smuggling in the Indian Ocean, profits from which provide
EU Naval Force Dutch frigate, HNLMS Van Speijk, has escorted a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel along the Somali coast to keep it safe from a potential pirate attack. The WFP ship was carrying food such as soya, cooking oil and flour from Mombasa in Kenya to the Somali port of Kismayo. The food wil
Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, is being awarded a $15,5 million modification to previously awarded contract to incrementally fund the Aegis Platform Systems Engineering Agent (PSEA) activities and Aegis Modernization Advanced Capability Build (ACB) engineering. The Aegis PSEA manages
Earlier today the Chief of the German Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Andreas Krause, visited the EU Naval Force Operational Headquarters in Northwood, London. The visit was an opportunity for Vice Admiral Krause to be given an update on Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy operation of
