After two months of contributing to the European Union’s fight against Somali piracy in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden, French warship FS Floréal is sailing towards her home port on La Réunion, which is a French territory in the Indian Ocean. This is the fifth time that FS Floréal has participa
Earlier today the Operational Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, welcomed the Defence Advisor to the People’s Republic of China Delegation to the European Union, Major General Luo Wei and his Deputy, Senior Colonel Qiu Yi, to the Operational Headquarters in Northwood. Durin
Fourteen countries, 30 ships, 52 aircraft and a massive expanse of water for one of the largest naval exercises of the year – Baltops 2014 is now underway. It started late last week in Karlskrona, Sweden, and by the time Baltops (Baltic Operations 2014) finishes on 20 June more than 100 serials wi
Friday 13th June saw the hand over of the Commandant General Royal Marines from Major General Ed Davis, CBE to Major General Martin Smith, MBE. The handover ceremony took place in the Commandant Generals Courtyard at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines and was witnessed by Commanding Officers a
After a ten day work-up on-board HMS Illustrious around the Cornish coast, the Merlin Carrier Air Group (MCAG) prepare to “Go Deep” as they sail westwards out into the Atlantic in pursuit of Submarines. Exercise Deep Blue has so far seen the Merlin Mk 2s from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose put t
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) arrived at Naval Station Rota, Spain to begin her forward deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations, June 16. Ross, departed Norfolk, Va., June 3, and is the second of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to
The president of the Republic of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, visited the ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ on June 9th during the scheduled port of call of the training ship in Ireland. The ‘Juan Sebastián de Elcano’ had arrived on Saturday 7th from New York and berthed at Sir John Rogersons’ Quay in th
Rear-Admiral (ESP N) Eugenio Diaz Del Rio, Commander Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2), handed over command of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD task force (TF 508) to Commodore (Royal Danish Navy) Aage Buur Jensen, Commander SNMG1 during an operational handover in Souda Bay on Sat
Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2) arrived in Valletta on Thursday, 12 June 2014, for a scheduled port visit during the Group’s deployment to the Mediterranean to enhance maritime security in the region and strengthen relations between NATO and Malta. During this port visit, t
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) departed the Black Sea after a series of engagements promoting peace and stability in the region, June 12. Vella Gulf’s mission, while in the Black Sea, was to work with NATO allies and European partners, demonstrating the United
Thales Alenia Space announced on June 9 the completion of the acquisition of the space activities of Systems Engineering & Assessment Limited (SEA), part of Cohort plc. This acquisition will reinforce the perimeter of its new subsidiary Thales Alenia Space UK and will boost its growth in systems e
Secretary of the US Navy Ray Mabus visited Helsinki, Finland, June 10 to meet with government and military officials and reinforce the existing partnership between the United States and Finland. Mabus met with Finland’s Minister of Defense Carl Haglund and the Commander of the Finnish Navy, Rear A
The Naval Supply Fleet Logistics Center has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation as one of the seven prime contractors to continue providing logistics, intelligence, and technology support to the Joint Staff J7 Directorate for Joint Force Development (JFD) in Suffolk. The multiple-award, indefini
Major General Tim Gall, the Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, today visited the Operational Headquarters of EU Naval Force at Northwood Base, North London. He was met by the Deputy Operational Commander of Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Bartolomé Bauzá. During his visit, Major General Gall was