Defense Strategies
SNMG2 Supports Operation Active Endeavour
Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) resumed exercises in support of NATO’s counter-terrorism Operation ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR (OAE) this week. SNMG2 currently consists of USS LEYTE GULF (CG 55), TCG KEMALREIS (F 247), FGS NIEDERSACHSEN (F 208), HMCS TORONTO (FFH 333) and ESPS ALMIRANTE JUAN DE BORBON
HMS Grimsby Completes Minehunting Exercise
UK Navy’s HMS Grimsby has come to the end of a minehunting exercise led by the Spanish which saw her hunt dummy mines while coming under a variety of attack scenarios. The Royal Navy minehunter represents the UK’s commitment to the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) in the Medite
Saab to Overhaul HMS Halland Submarine
Defence and security company Saab has received an order from the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to overhaul the submarine HMS Halland. The order covers the period 2014-2015 and is valued at MSEK 130. The order is part of the letter of intent regarding the Swedish armed forces’ under
NATO and Japan Engage in Joint Counter-Piracy Drill
NATO and Japan conducted a joint counter-piracy drill in the Gulf of Aden on Thursday, 25 September 2014, to test communications and tactical skills. It was the first such joint naval exercise between the two maritime fleets. “By synchronizing our activities and sharing information we stand a much
NATO MARCOM Commander Visits Bulgaria and Romania
The Commander of NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), Vice Admiral Peter Hudson, CBE, wrapped up three days of staff talks in Bulgaria and Romania on September 23. The official visits were held in conjunction with the conclusion of Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO Task Unit 02 (SNMG2 TU.02) port
ITS Andrea Doria, CNS Changbaishan Meet in the Gulf of Aden
On Monday 22 September the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, met the Chinese Navy ship, CNS Changbaishan, in the Gulf of Aden. The EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, accompanied by the commanding officer of the flagship, Captain Gianfranco Annunziata, and an additional six offi
ESPS Navarra Continues Counter-Piracy Patrols
EU Naval Force frigate, ESPS Navarra, has resumed her counter-piracy patrols in the Indian Ocean after a short visit to the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. The visit was an opportunity for the crew to resupply the ship and have some rest and recuperation after spending a number of we
Commanding Officer of South Korean Destroyer Boards ITS Andrea Doria
On Thursday 18 September the Force Commander of the European Union’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, welcomed Captain Kim Jeong-Hyun, who is the Commanding Officer of the South Korean Destroyer, ROKS Munmu the Great, on board the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria
EU NAVFOR Operation Commander Tours ITS Andrea Doria
During his visit to Djibouti this week, the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Major General Martin Smith MBE, took the opportunity to visit the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, at sea in the Gulf of Aden. He was accompanied during the visit by the European Union Ambassador in Dj
Almirante Juan de Borbón Trains in Sea Breeze
The Spanish Navy’s frigate ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’, integrated into SNMG-2 (Standing NATO Maritime Group 2), is currently deployed in the Black Sea participating in exercise ‘Sea Breeze’ along with other naval units from the Ukraine and other coastal states. The exercise has been programmed tak
ESPS Navarra Assists Yacht in the Gulf of Aden
In the early morning of Friday 19 September, EU Naval Force frigate, ESPS Navarra, came to the assistance of a stricken yacht in the Gulf of Aden. The yacht had been detected on the warship’s radar in the early morning. ESPS Navarra’s Bridge team initially tried to hail the yacht via their VHF rad
Two NATO Ships Dock in Varna, Bulgaria
Last weekend from 19 till 22 September 2014, the two ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) Task Unit TWO (TU.02) stayed in Varna for a scheduled port visit during their deployment to the Black Sea. Led by Commander Jason Armstrong (Royal Canadian Navy), SNMG2 TU.02 is currentl
US Navy Ships Head for Joint Warrior 14-2
Two U.S. Navy ships, led by Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26, departed the U.S. for Scotland, Sep 18-19, to participate in Joint Warrior 14-2. Joint Warrior is a semi-annual training exercise conducted off the coast of Scotland. The training, led by the United Kingdom, is designed to prov
Royal Navy Joins French Navy’s Exercise Gabion
Royal Navy sailors joined their French counterparts at action stations this week as part of one of the French Navy’s largest quarterly exercises. Landing Platform Helicopter HMS Ocean joined Exercise Gabion off the coast of Toulon and set about demonstrating its flexibility and utility across the