During the night of 12 December, EU Naval Force flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez conducted her first World Food Programme (WFP) escort as part of the EU’s counter piracy mission – Operation Atalanta. ESPS Méndez Núnez escorted MV Canarsie Princess along the Somali coastline to ensure the food aid she was
Royal Navy warship HMS Diamond returns home to Portsmouth on Friday (December 21) from a successful maiden deployment to the Middle East. The new Type 45 destroyer sailed more than 31,000 miles on security and counter-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Oman and the Gulf. HMS Diamond left Po
In the afternoon of 15 December 2012, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Belgian frigate BNS Louise-Marie intercepted one skiff with five suspected pirates on board. While underway to the probable pirates’ operating area, the Swedish EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft (MPRA) was able to locate the suspi
During the Christmas period Navy ships will be at sea conducting maritime security patrols in the Middle East Area of Operations and on border protection duty in northern Australia. Additionally, Navy will be ready to provide any disaster relief assistance in Australia if required. Part of this assi
Austal has appointed Graham Backhouse to the position of General Manager of its Henderson Shipyard Operations (HSO) in Australia. Austal’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Bellamy, said Mr Backhouse would bring considerable value to the operation, which is now focussed on the design and manufacture o
The Australian Government has released several reviews into Australian submarines, including the Final Report of the Coles Review into Submarine Sustainment, and has announced plans for a new submarine testing facility for Adelaide. Coles Review into Submarine Sustainment The Government announced th
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has awarded a £1.2 billion (USD 1.92 billion) contract for Audacious, the latest Astute Class attack submarine to be built for the Royal Navy. Audacious is the fourth of 7 Astute Class submarines being built for the Royal Navy. They are the most technologically-advanced
Navy personnel and dignitaries today gathered at HMAS Cairns to farewell an old friend, Balikpapan Class Landing Craft Heavy (LCH), HMAS Wewak. The ship is being decommissioned after almost 40 years of service moving large amounts of cargo, personnel and equipment from larger ships to shore. As frie
In a ceremony held on board EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship ITS San Giusto in the port of Djibouti, Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino (Italian Navy) handed over force command of EU counter piracy Task Force 465 to Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes (Spanish Navy). The name of the new EU NAVFOR Fla
The Director of Combined Maritime Forces in the Gulf region says international efforts have led to a fall in piracy attacks against merchant shipping and local fishing dhows but the risk to trade remains high. The International Maritime Bureau’s (IMB) Piracy Reporting Centre reported just one attemp
The crew from Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand are proud to be sailing home to their base port of Constanta after completing Romania’s first counter piracy operation as part of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia, Operation Atalanta. ROS Regele Ferdinand joined EU NAVFOR at the beginning of
Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare and Attorney-General and Member for Gellibrand Nicola Roxon today visited the BAE Systems dockyard in Williamstown, Melbourne, to view progress on the construction of Australia’s largest ever warship. Australia is acquirin
On Sunday 02 December 2012, the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta (EU NAVFOR), Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, met with Somali and Djiboutian media on board the EU NAVFOR flagship, ITS San Giusto, off the Somali town of Berbera. The event was the first opportunity fo
Ford V8 Development Series Supercar driver Chaz Mostert has added another achievement to his list of career highlights, with the 20 year old named as an honorary officer in the Royal Australian Navy on December 1st. During a visit to the Telstra 500 in Homebush on Saturday the Chief of Navy Vice Adm
