The Dutch contribution to NATO’s counterpiracy operation Ocean Shield is to be expanded. A second helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle for reconnaissance will give an impulse to intelligence-gathering in particular. A submarine will once again also be deployed for this task. Although the House
The Annual Telegraphists Air Gunners Association (TAGA) Memorial Service was held at the Fleet Air Arm Memorial at Lee-on-Solent on Sunday 20th May. Telegraphist Air Gunners operated in Fleet Air Arm aircraft from 1922, from aircraft carriers both large and small. 3000 personnel were trained as gunn
On June 12th, EU Naval Force rescued a small fishing boat on the northern coast of Somalia. In the afternoon of June 12th, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian frigate Scirocco rescued a small fishing boat (skiff type) in distress with two Somali fishermen coming from the town of Alula, on the norther
Portsmouth based Fishery Protection Vessel HMS Mersey closed one chapter and opened another today when Lieutenant Commander Sarah Oakley took over from Lieutenant Commander Mark Anderson as Mersey’s Commanding Officer. Lieutenant Commander Oakley joined the Royal Navy in 1995 after reading a degree
Triggered by growing pirate threats endangering safety of merchant ships, the Members of Cyprus Parliament have unanimously supported a bill, enabling the ships to have armed guards and use weaponry in order to defend themselves in case of pirate attacks, ITAR-TASS announced. This is the first bill
The 2012 edition of the annual UDT Europe show – a leading forum for the international undersea defence community – will be held in Alicante, Spain, from 29 to 31 May. DCNS specialists will present papers and displays on some of the Group’s latest technologies. A consistent innovator thanks to its R
On Sunday 27 May EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Dutch frigate Van Amstel rendezvoused at sea with World Food Programme (WFP) chartered ship MV Caroline Scan to re-supply the Dutch protection team onboard – known as an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment or AVPD . The Dutch AVPD, which consists of ar
May 22, the EU Naval Force Operation Commander was welcomed on board Flag Ship FS MARNE to visit the ‘in theatre’ Force Commander and his staff. In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan Potts visited FS MARNE and met EUNAVFOR Force Commander Rear Admiral Jean-Baptiste Dupu
On May 20, MARSIC (Maritime Security and Safety) members visited ESPS REINA SOFIA in Djibouti as part of the EU Naval Force’s regional maritime capacity building effort. ESPS REINA SOFIA had the opportunity to organise a visit and tour around the ship for a group of MARSIC members. The visit, which
EU Naval Force Warship FS NIVÔSE welcomed ten Djiboutian coast guards on 16 May for training and discussion on skiff interception, vessel protection teams and online communication. During a port visit in Djibouti, the crew of NIVÔSE and members of the Djiboutian coast guard shared their experiences
On 21st May the German Secretary of State, Mr. Thomas Kossendey, visited the German detachment for Operation Atalanta in Djibouti where he witnessed the handover of German frigate FGS Berlin to FGS Bremen as an EU Naval Force frigate. Before he witnessed the handover ceremony on board FGS Bremen Mr.
FGS BREMEN has commenced her tour of duty patrolling the waters of the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa as the tenth ship of the EU NAVAL FORCE (EU NAVFOR). Having left her home port of Wilhelmshaven on 7th May BREMEN arrives on station after a 14 day transit. Originally designed as a submarine [&hel
On Wednesday 16 May the Republic of the Seychelles agreed to accept for prosecution 11 suspected pirates who were captured by EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) on 12 May 2012, EU NAVFOR updated today. On 19 May 2012, a team from HNLMS Van Amstel handed over the suspect pirates to the Seychelles authorities
The EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) frigate Corte-Real recently visited Port Victoria in the Seychelles to perform boat-handling training with the local Coast-Guard. This military cooperation is seen as an important way to improve the counter-piracy capabilities of the Seychelles’ Coast-Guard. The Seyche