“All those involved in the replenishment at sea are required at their station”. When this order is broadcast over loudspeakers on board the German tanker FGS Rhön, the seamanship crew reacts quickly by donning their hard hats and safety gear before making final preparations for what is a highly spec
Sailors on board Royal Navy ship HMS Echo are continuing their efforts to narrow down the area in the Indian Ocean where ‘pings’, thought to be from missing flight MH370’s black box, have been detected. The commanding officer of the hydrographic survey ship said they were using their specialist eq
Since Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen assumed force command of the EU Naval Force on Sunday 6 April, he has been very busy ensuring that his flagship, FGS Brandenburg, and the rest of the EU Naval Force warships and maritime patrol aircraft under his command are fully prepared for the important role
On Sunday 6 April the German commander of the EU Naval Force Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) P-3C Orion reached 3,000 of flying hours. After he returned to the Djibouti airbase, where the aircraft is currently based, he received a special welcome from the German MPRA detachment le
More amphibious forces are needed in the Pacific, the commanding general of the U.S. III Marine Expeditionary Force said on Friday, April 11. “If the Marine Corps is challenged, anywhere in the world, to execute combined forcible entry operations we have the capability to do it,” Marine Corps Lt.
A highlight of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has been the level of international co-operation which has brought together the navies of Australia, China, United Kingdom and Malaysia in a common cause. The co-operation between navies presented an opportunity for People’s Libe
Representatives from Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme and eight allied navies established common modernization and sustainment procedures for the MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) April 7 in Port Hueneme, Calif. The procedures reflect a unified strategic plan that enhances ship readin
The US Navy’s 7th Fleet supply ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) joined an international task force led by Australian Defence Force searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 off the Western Coast of Australia yesterday. The U.S. 7th Fleet deployed Chavez in response to a formal Joint Op
On Monday 7 April the German tanker Rhön arrived in the port of Djibouti to join the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. The tanker under the command of Captain Egon Rhauderwiek will provide regular replenishment support to the EU Naval Force warships and other inter
The fourth and final review into Australian Collins Class submarine sustainment program, released today by expert John Coles, confirms that submarine maintenance and availability has significantly improved. The review findings have been welcomed by Australian Minister for Defence David Johnston an
The search for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 has brought the navies of Australia and China together in a significant display of international cooperation. Despite heavy seas and poor search conditions, HMAS Toowoomba recently conducted boat operations with People’s Liberation Army – Navy
On Sunday 6 April, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean (French Navy) handed over the Force Command of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta to Rear Admiral Jürgen zur Mühlen (German Navy) during a Change of Command ceremony held on board FS Siroco in the Port of Djibouti. Deputy Operation C
Ardent One, embarked in HMAS Launceston, participated in the Multilateral Naval Exercise KOMODO from 29 March to 3 April 2014. The exercise was developed and coordinated by the Indonesian Navy in the vicinity of the Indonesian Islands of Batam, Riau, Anambas and Natuna. It focussed on Humanitarian
On Monday 31st March, the Royal Navy took a major step forward in developing a framework to allow Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to be deployed from its anti-submarine warfare warships. A Memorandum of Understanding between the Service and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) was signed whi
