Amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), with the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), departed Darwin, Australia, Sept. 12, following a two-day port visit. Denver’s departure signifies the end of Exercise Koolendong with the 31st MEU at the Bradshaw Field Training Area (BFTA) in
“Somalia is open to further cooperation with the European Union in the area of maritime security”, said President Hassan Sheik Mohamoud of Somalia last week while on board HNLMS Johan de Witt on the Indian Ocean in a position close to the capital city of Mogadishu. The president sees this type of co
The recent restructure and re-focus of Fleet Support Unit – Australia under the watchful eye of General Manager Jason Aquilina has led to a renewed sense of purpose for the technical sailors at Fleet Support Unit – West. In addition to providing vital routine maintenance support to the ships, submar
Following a successful deployment to North East Asia, HMAS Sydney has returned home to a warm welcome from family and friends on the wharf at Fleet Base East. Over the past four and a half months Sydney has participated in a wide range of exercises and operations ranging from regional engagement in
Sailors from HMAS Cerberus saw seagoing vessels in a very different light when they attended the 2013 Melbourne International Tall Ships Festival between 6-15 September. Chief Petty Officer Danny Mulheron headed up the Navy Community Engagement Team, which fielded questions from seasoned sailors thr
With a pipe from the Executive Officer it was all over. The ship and its company had passed the final assessment that began with a Mariner Skills Evaluation back in March and culminated in September with a final Force Protection assessment alongside Diamantina Pier, HMAS Stirling, WA. Not that it wa
Leading the fight against piracy across 2.5 million square miles of the Indian Ocean from yesterday is a Royal Navy team who have taken charge of the international task force. It is the first time the Senior Service has been in charge of Combined Task Force 151, half a dozen ships from half a dozen
On Saturday 7 September, two members of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship FGS Niedersachsen were evacuated due to medical reasons to a hospital in Salalah, Oman. The ship had been conducting counter piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia. The ship broke from counter-pira
The forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) and embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed Darwin, Australia Sept. 10. Bonhomme Richard is concluding Exercise Koolendong 2013 (KD13), a bilateral exercise that took place at the Bradshaw Field Training Area (B
On Thursday 5 September, Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro, which is part of the European Union’s counter piracy Naval Force operating off the Horn of Africa, gave assistance to a Yemeni dhow, which had suffered steerage difficulties, with a faulty rudder. In the early morning, the ship’s SH60B helicopte
NUSHIP Canberra‘s Command Team have had their first taste of raw LHD ship-handling, albeit at 1:20 scale. Commanding Officer NUSHIP Canberra, Captain Jonathan Sadleir AM, Executive Officer, Commander Jonathan Earley and Navigating Officer, Lieutenant Commander Calvin Johnson, spent four days in Augu
The ship’s company of HMS Illustrious has hosted the President of Albania, His Excellency Mr Bujar Nishani, as exercise Albanian Lion draws to an end. Albanian Lion was the first major workout for the Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) as part of Cougar 13 – a long planned deployment that
Approximately 300 Royal Australian Navy and Royal Malaysian Navy personnel have concluded the maritime security exercise, Exercise Mastex. The Australian ANZAC Class Frigate, HMAS Ballarat, joined the Lekiu Class Frigate KD Lekiu in the North Malacca Straits for the week long bilateral maritime exer
Chief selectees aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9) held a wreath laying memorial in honor of sunken destroyer USS Peary (DD 226) as they departed Darwin, Australia, Sept. 8. Peary was sunk just outside of Darwin Feb. 19, 1942 after she came under attack by Japanese dive bombers
