Obangame Express, an exercise sponsored by US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and designed to improve regional cooperation, kicked off on March 21 with an opening ceremony in Libreville, Gabon. The annual exercise aims to enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA), information-sharing practices, and tactical
Dutch naval vessels will not participate in the European Union’s counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia this year. This was stated in a letter sent by Ank Bijleveld-Schouten, the country’s Minister of Defense, to the lower house of the Dutch parliament on March 7. Problems with t
The seventh iteration of the annual maritime exercise Cutlass Express 2018 concluded in Seychelles on February 7. Maritime forces from East Africa, West Indian Ocean nations, Europe, and the United States, as well as several international organizations worked together to assess and improve combined
The international maritime law enforcement exercise Cutlass Express 2018 kicked off in Djibouti, January 31, under the sponsorship of US Africa Command. The seventh iteration of the annual exercise is led by US Naval Force Africa and is aimed at assessing and improving combined maritime law enforcem
Royal Canadian Navy coastal defense vessels HMCS Summerside and HMCS Kingston got underway from Halifax on January 26, starting a deployment to West Africa. The two Kingston-class ships will foster relationships with partner navies and take part in exercise Obangame Express 2018, in the Gulf of Guin
The US Navy’s forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) joined Royal Moroccan Navy SIGMA frigate Tarek Ben Ziyad for a series of live fire exercises off the Moroccan coast. The drill took place after USS Ross departed Agadir, Morocco, January 13, after a scheduled port visit t
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) got underway from Naval Station Rota, Spain, on January 8, to start its sixth forward-deployed patrol in Africa and Europe. Ross completed its previous four-month patrol in July 2017. The 2017 patrol saw the destroyer take part
US Marines embarked aboard French amphibious assault ship LHD Tonnerre (L9014) concluded ten days of amphibious operations in the vicinity of Djibouti during the Alligator Dagger exercise. US marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Ma
Members of the US Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51, 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (TF 51/5) on December 13 started a bilateral amphibious combat rehearsal in international waters off the coast of Djibouti, Africa. They will be teaming up with the French Task Group 473.1 which is composed of
Italian Navy frigate and current operation Atalanta flagship ITS Fasan trained with ships from the Chinese PLA Navy and Republic of Korea Navy off the coast of Somalia recently. Fasan first rendezvoused with South Korean and Spanish Navy ships after delivering medicine to the Somalian port city of H
Over the course of three days from 12th to the 14th November, members of the Tanzanian Defence Force Navy trained with members of ITS Fasan to bolster Maritime Capability in the Indian Ocean. During port visits, EU NAVFOR personnel take the opportunity to pass on essential maritime skills to local f
On 14th November, the Force Commander of EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori visited General Mabeyo, Chief of Tanzania People’s Defence Force and Rear Admiral Makanzo, Commander of Naval Forces in Dar Es Salaam. During his visit the Force Commander took the opportunity to invi
Warships and other assets deployed to the EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta received a new commander during a ceremony held in Brussels, November 7. Major General Rob Magowan CBE handed over command to Major General Charlie Stickland OBE after 17 months in charge. Over the last 17 months Major General Ma
Navy ships from Italy and Tunisia recently completed the bilateral exercise Oasis 17 off the Tunisian coast. Oasis 17 is part of several training activities carried out by the Italian Navy together with navies from northern African countries. The so called 5 + 5 maritime cooperation includes navies
