Participants of the international naval exercise Open Spirit 2016 found several mines just 3 kilometers off the Lithuanian only sea port on May 20. Lithuanian Navy divers subsequently destroyed the German WWII mines. Five naval mines, one torpedo, rocket parts and two still unidentified wrecks have
Royal Navy’s mine hunter HMS Ramsey has returned to home waters and its Faslane base after a deployment as part of Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1. Crew seven from the First Mine Counter Measures Squadron (MCM1), who have most recently been operating the Sandown Class vessel, has been tr
Spanish Navy’s F-100 frigate Méndez Núñez is scheduled to integrate into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 until the end of September. The Méndez Núñez (F-104) will relieve her sister ship Álvaro de Bazán (F-101). Spanish Navy Rear Admiral José Enrique Delgado Roig took command of SNMG-1 in Decembe
Members of the Tanzanian Navy were welcomed on board FGS Bayern for a day of maritime training with Operation Atalanta sailors and marines, on May 16. The training focused on fast-roping drills and damage control skills, such as fire-fighting and flood control as sea. On completion of the training,
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Cardigan Bay on May 18 joined NATO’s Standing Maritime Group (SNMG 2) sailing in Southern European waters. The Bay-class landing ship deck auxiliary is 176.6 m long and a displaces about 16,000 t. It has the capability to operate several types of helicopters and is equippe
Ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group Two task unit 02 (SNMG2 TU.02) recently concluded a busy port visit in Casablanca, Morocco with a passing exercise and boarding exercise off the coast of Morocco. SNMG2 TU.02 led by Canadian Navy Commander Trevor MacLean included HMCS Fredericton (FFH 3
The Royal Navy is to upgrade more than thirty ships and submarines with Lockheed Martin’s compass systems developed under a six year, £17 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence. The Navigation Compass Programme (NCP) contract will see Lockheed Martin replace the current systems in use on t
BAE Systems, the company in charge of the training programme for the Royal Navy’s new class of aircraft carriers, has contracted BMT Defence Services to deliver a new 3D training system for the ships. BMT said it would utilise its existing training solution, Engage, to develop a 3D walkthrough train
U.S. Navy’s Blue Ridge-class command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) on May 16 departed Gaeta, Italy, to prepare for the upcoming BALTOPS 2016. BALTOPS is an annually recurring multinational exercise designed to demonstrate resolve of allied and partner forces to defend the Baltic region. Mount Whit
The international maritime exercise Phoenix Express 2016 was kicked off May 17, in the Mediterranean. Navies from Europe, North Africa, and the United States gathered to begin the 10th iteration of the exercise. Phoenix Express is sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and facilitated by U.S. Na
The EU Political and Security Committee on May 18 appointed Brigadier Robert Magowan, an officer from the British Royal Marines, as Operation Commander for the EU Naval Force Somalia, Operation Atalanta. Brigadier Magowan is taking the place of Major General Martin Smith. He is expected to take up h
Silent motorways and submarines that are undetectable to sonar. These are dreams that the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) says could come true thanks to a new material that absorbs sound rather than reflecting it. The university is responsible for the theoretical modelling of the sound-suppres
Maintenance works on the Royal Navy Hunt-class minesweeper HMS Brocklesby have begun in BAE Systems’ new Small Ships Centre of Specialisation at Portsmouth Naval Base. BAE said the work is part of a £600 million Maritime Services Delivery Framework (MSDF) contract to support half of the Royal Navy’s
Swedish and Finnish Navy units kicked off the annual Swefinex exercise in waters around Swedish Gotland Island. The exercise, which is this time hosted by Sweden, started May 16 and will last until May 26. Participating units will be conducting anti-submarine warfare, mine clearance drills and pract
