On Saturday 25th of July 2015, EU Naval Force Commander, Rear Admiral Alfonso Gomez Fernando de Cordoba, welcomed the Chief of the Djiboutian Navy, Colonel Abdourahman Aden Cher, on board Operation Atalanta flagship, ESPS Galicia. The visit included a guided tour of the Spanish warship, followed by
Sailors on board HMS Somerset were given the rare opportunity to visit the spectacular sights of Iceland while on a short break between North Atlantic patrols. Although the North Atlantic is a regular operating area for Royal Navy warships it is not often that there is a stop in Iceland and it was t
The head of the Royal Navy Admiral Sir George Zambellas visited reservists in Scotland where he presented a medal and gave an address to the assembled sailors. HMS Scotia is based in Rosyth, and is the East of Scotland’s Royal Naval Reserve unit which has around 100 members of the Royal Naval Reserv
This year marks the 70th Anniversary of the Royal Navy Aircraft Handlers Branch, who was formed to meet a need in 1945 to launch and recover aircraft from the navy’s large carriers. The first Aircraft Handlers (AH) were intrinsically involved with operations at the latter part of World War 2, that s
Spanish warship, ESPS Galicia, recently reached the halfway point in her deployment as the flagship for Operation Atalanta. Since joining the Operation in May 2015, ESPS Galicia has sailed over 15,000 nautical miles, conducting counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Somali basin, as well as
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in Haifa, Israel, for a scheduled port visit July 26. The port visit serves to enhance U.S.-Israeli relations as the two nations work together for a stable, secure and prosperous region. While in port, Sailors will have the
Colombian Navy warship, ARC 7 de Agosto, recently completed sea trials with the Spanish Navy prior to her collaboration with Operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia. Conducted at the Spanish Navy Combat at Sea Centre in south western Spain, the sea training ensured that ARC 7 de Agosto was ready
Two Joint Services Adventurous Sail Training Centre (JSATC) 72ft yachts, ‘Adventure of Hornet’ and ‘Discoverer of Hornet’ have set sail on a circumnavigation of the globe as they embark on the much heralded tri-service adventurous training sailing expedition, Exercise Transglobe. Skipper of HMSTC Ad
OceanWorks International has completed system upgrades to the third Italian Navy’s HARDSUIT™ Atmospheric Diving System (ADS), designed and delivered by OceanWorks. The conclusion of the work on the third ADS marks the completion of a major survey and upgrade of the Italian Navy’s ADS fleet to the Qu
Royal Navy’s HMS Sutherland has once again proven her fighting worth by firing her 4.5in main gun for the first time since coming out of refit in March. The firing, in the South Coast exercise area, demonstrated that HMS Sutherland’s weapons systems are working correctly and saw 88lbs of steel and p
Having concluded a successful port visit, Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) got underway on July 22 from Palma de Mallorca to support NATO’s Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR. The Group’s flagship German frigate FGS HAMBURG was joined in Palma by the Canadian frigate HMCS WINNIPEG, the Spanish friga
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, on July 22, 2015, to begin her third forward-deployed patrol in support of ballistic missile defense of Europe and demonstrate the U.S. commitment to collective defense of allies and partner
Royal Navy’s HMS Iron Duke has been put through her paces when the ship recently undertook her regeneration programme. Under the watchful eye of staff from Maritime Commissioning, Trials and Assessment (MCTA) the frigate spent a week in the South Coast exercise area undertaking a series of dynamic t
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) departed Klaipėda, Lithuania July 20, 2015, after a three-day scheduled port visit. Jason Dunham’s visit to Klaipėda demonstrated to regional partners and NATO allies that the U.S. Navy shares a commitment to strengthening t