Defense Strategies
HMS Albion deploys for Baltic Sea task group deployment
Royal Navy amphibious transport dock HMS Albion has deployed to the Baltic Sea where it will lead a multinational task group as part of a UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). All three service branches of the UK armed forces will take part in the first JEF maritime deployment, which started as HM
Spain hosts 16 nations for mine warfare drill in Western Med
The Spanish Navy-hosted mine countermeasures exercise ESP Minex 19 concluded in the Western Mediterranean Sea on May 10, after two weeks of evolutions. ESP Minex 19 is an advanced annual exercise for mine countermeasures units and surface, submarine, and air mining and force protection assets. Parti
Navies gather in Scotland for live-fire missile defense drill Formidable Shield 19
Navy ships from nine NATO states have gathered in Scotland where they will take part in the US Navy-led exercise Formidable Shield 19. The two-week exercise will take place at the UK defense ministry’s Hebrides Range located on the Western Isles of Scotland. It kicks off on May 7. Naval Striking and
USS Abraham Lincoln joins major Italian exercise Mare Aperto
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and ships from its carrier strike group (ABECSG) have joined Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi as part of exercise Mare Aperto, an Italian multilateral maritime warfare exercise designed to promote interoperability and proficiency. The
US destroyer Ross stops in Bulgaria on first Black Sea port visit
US Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) arrived in Varna, Bulgaria, April 15 for the first port visit of its Black Sea tour. The ship transited the Bosphorus Strait to enter the Black Sea on April 14. The navy did not say how long the destroyer would stay in the region but the 1936 [&he
20-ship Black Sea exercise Sea Shield 2019 concludes in Romania
The Romanian-hosted exercise Sea Shield 2019 concluded in the Black Sea on April 13. In addition to Romanian Navy units, the annual drill was joined by five NATO ships which are part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2). In total, over 20 ships and crews from Romania, Bulgaria, Canada, Gr
German air-defense frigate Hessen deploying to Aegean
German Navy F124 frigate FGS Hessen is scheduled to depart its Wilhelmshaven homeport on April 11 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2). The air-defense frigate will replace another German vessel currently deployed to the mission in the Aegean Sea. Combat support ship Bonn deployed to
NATO sets up new surface command
NATO’s Allied Maritime Command hosted a ceremony on the 70th anniversary of the alliance to ceremonially activate a new command called Commander Surface Forces NATO (COMSURFNATO). This April 4 activation is part of NATO’s Command Structure Adaptation (NCS-A) remarking new NATO at its birthday. One o
US Navy’s newly re-established 2nd Fleet to lead 18-nation Baltic Sea drill BALTOPS
The US 2nd Fleet (C2F) is scheduled to lead the major Baltic Sea exercise BALTOPS 2019, seven months after the command was re-established at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The US 2nd Fleet, which falls under operational control of the US Fleet Forces Command, was set up again after previously bein
Canadian, Spanish NATO ships arrive in Odesa, Ukraine
Royal Canadian Navy and Spanish Navy frigate assigned to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) arrived in Odesa, Ukraine on April 1 for a routine port visit. Canadian frigate HMCS Toronto and Spanish frigate ESPS Santa Maria arrived in Odesa after patrolling in the Black Sea with fellow SNMG2 s
Royal Navy landing ship joins US Navy minehunting drill off Virginia
Royal Navy auxiliary landing ship dock RFA Mounts Bay served as the test bed for a mobile US Navy minehunting force during a recent test off the coast of Virginia. The test included helicopters, divers, remote-controlled boats and automated surveying machines and was intended to see whether a task f
Royal Navy frigate joining NATO’s SNMG1
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Westminster got underway from Portsmouth to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) for a deployment to northern Europe and the Baltic. The Duke-class frigate is scheduled to conduct exercises within her task group as well as a variety of port visits that wil
NATO maritime groups visit Plymouth
Ship from Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG) 1 and Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure Group One (SNMCMG) 1 completed a scheduled port visit to Plymouth, England, before taking part in an eight-ship maneuver off the UK coast. SNMG-1 and SNMCMG-1 staff took advantage of time in port by having forc
Eight navies gathering for Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise
Mine countermeasures ships from eight NATO and ally navies are set to gather in the Baltic Sea at the end of May for the “Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise”. The exercise is hosted by the German Navy’s 3rd Mine Minesweeping Squadron and is in its third iteration. The two-week drill will