An EH101 helicopter embarked on Op Sophia’s flagship, ITS Garibaldi, spotted two rubber boats in international waters during a patrol on December 29. The rubber boats were sailing from the Lybian coast. The Royal Navy warship HMS Enterprise was tasked by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center to in
Finnish Minister of Defence, Jussi Niinistö, has authorized the nation’s Defence Forces to start the Finnish Navy project, Squadron 2020. The aim of the project is to construct four new corvette-size fighting ships for year-round operation in the special weather and ice conditions at the Baltic Sea.
Civmec, in collaboration with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), unveiled December 14 a newly-built submarine hull section constructed by Civmec at their Henderson facility in Western Australia. This construction is a self-funded initiative, used by the companies to prove that they have the experti
A frigate, four to six reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial replenishment of French fighter jets will be the German contribution to the French fight against ISIS. The German government appropriated these assets one day after the meeting between the French President Francois Hollande and the German Ch
The Italian light aircraft carrier ITS Garibaldi joined the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia Task Force in the Central Mediterranean taking over the role of mission flagship from ITS Cavour November 25. Having left her home base port of Taranto (Italy) last June 26, only 4 days after the mission launch
BAE Systems, a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company, in an update on its business announced a “further headcount reductions” at its Australian shipyard. Despite Australia’s intention to launch a naval shipbuilding strategy, BAE Systems said that “it is unclear whether this i
The German frigate FGS Schleswig-Holstein concluded its mission as part of the EUNAVFOR MED Operation Sophia’s Task Force. The vessel set sail back home on October 31, after spending 122 days deployed in the Central Mediterranean Sea. During her 4 months on task, the German frigate conducted more th
As part of a Royal Australian Navy Task Group deployment to North and South East Asia, HMA Ships Arunta, Stuart and Sirius have rendezvoused with the French frigate FNS Vendemiaire in South China Sea. Following port visits to Zhanjiang, China, by HMA Ships Arunta and Stuart and Da Nang, Vietnam, by
The Maritime Theater Missile Defense (MTMD) Forum wrapped up its At Sea Demonstration (ASD) 2015 event, Oct. 27, culminating nearly four years of planning and three weeks of at sea operations in the North Atlantic. MTMD Forum Chair, Rear Adm. Jon A. Hill, the U.S. Navy’s program executive officer fo
UK warship HMS Richmond has joined the EU mission in the Mediterranean to tackle migrant smugglers. HMS Richmond has new powers to stop and detain suspected migrant smugglers and disable their vessels. The Type 23 frigate’s arrival comes after the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resoluti
German Tender Werra is expected to return to her homeport, naval base Kiel, tomorrow, October 24. The 5th Minesweeper Squadron ship has spent 5 months undertaking Mediterranean Sea missions and taking part in migrant rescue operations. During her deployment, FGS Werra saved a total of 1186 people fr
U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) departed Glenmallan, Scotland for a scheduled embarkation, Oct. 19. The Blue Ridge-class flagship conducted a brief port visit and embarked U.S. 6th Fleet and Maritime Theater Missile Defense (MTMD) Forum personnel. Deputy Commander,
Italian warship, ITS Libeccio, started her journey home to La Spezia after completing her deployment with the European Union’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta on Tuesday, October 20. During the past four and a half months, ITS Libeccio conducted counter-piracy patrols, friendly approaches with loc
The German Tender Werra has left Operation Sophia after over four months of deployment. Werra was substituted by the German combat support ship, FGS Berlin. With Commander Marcel Rosenbohm at the helm, FGS Berlin arrived to the Italian port of Augusta, Oct 14, to begin its EU Naval Force deployment.
