The U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet operating in Europe and Africa has established a new task force that will be solely responsible for ballistic missile defense in Europe. On March 24, Commodore Jeffrey Wolstenholme assumed command of the newly established Commander, Task Force 64, as the unit was named. U.S
The UK Defence Infrastructure Organisation has awarded a £19 million (approx $26M) contract for the Mare Harbour, Falklands, to be upgraded to host larger Royal Navy ships. UK-based civil engineering company VolkerStevin will design and construct a facility suitable to cater for the Point-class ship
The U.S. Navy has captured on video the moment the attack submarine USS Hartford breaks polar ice in order to surface at the Camp Sargo temporary base constructed for the five-week exercise ICEX 2016. Two U.S. Navy submarines on March 14 reached their temporary camp where the operational readiness o
Defence company Saab introduced its Sea Giraffe 1X naval radar to the U.S. market for the first time at the Maritime Security East Conference in Norfolk, Virginia. Saab described the Sea Giraffe 1X as a 3D, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar offering simultaneous surface and air survei
French patrol ship FS Commandant Bouan joined NATO’s Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) in the Aegean Sea last week. Commandant Bouan is the second ship to reinforce the mission against human traffickers as the Dutch frigate HNLMS Van Amstel sailed for the Aegean on March 10. SNMG2 is conducting
Led by the Turkish tender TCG Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasa, ships from NATO’s mine counter measures group two (SNMCMG2) arrived in Bar, Montenegro, March 18. The ships are on a scheduled port visit during the group’s deployment to the Mediterranean to enhance maritime security and readiness. The visit
The U.S. Navy has awarded the Australian shipbuilding company Austal a US$13.97 million modification to a previously awarded Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) contract for special studies, analyses and review efforts for the Littoral Combat Ship Program. Austal said it would be providing engineering and de
Swedish Marine Brigadier General Ola Truedsson on March 10 visited the participants of NATO exercise Dynamic Move 16 (DME16) taking place in Oostende, Belgium. DME16 is an annual Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) tactical-level Mine Counter Measure Command Post Exercise and is designed to train parti
Commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, Vice Admiral Clive Johnstone, visited the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 currently deployed to the Aegean with the task of combating migrant smuggling. The Commander went on board the German combat support ship EGV Bonn, the flagship of SNMG as the ship c
Ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) have recently completed their latest Mine Counter Measure Exercise, (MCMEX), Exercise Ariadne 16, in the Gulf of Patras, Greece. Led by Captain Ramazan Kesgin (Turkish Navy) SNMCMG2 is currently comprised of the flagship TCG Cez
USS Hartford and USS Hampton on March 14 arrived at Ice Camp Sargo, a temporary station constructed on a floating sheet of ice the U.S. Navy built for this year’s Ice Exercise (ICEX) 2016. Groton-based Hartford and San Diego-based Hampton will conduct multiple arctic transits, a North Pole surfacing
The U.S. Coast Guard will decommission the high endurance cutter Boutwell during a ceremony held at Naval Base San Diego, March 16. The cutter has been in service for 48 years and will now be transferred to the Philippine Navy under the Foreign Military Sale Program through the Foreign Assistance Ac
Canadian Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced the signing of two contracts with Seaspan worth $65.4 M under the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS) for Vancouver Shipyards Co. The two new contracts will allow Seaspan’s Vancouver Shipyards Co. to initiate early discussions with pote
Royal Navy personnel from HMS Excellent, a shore establishment of the Navy, will head to the Arabian Gulf where they will assume command of the Combined Task Force 150 next month. Part of Combined Maritime Forces, Combined Task Force 150 is policing more than two million square miles of sea on the l
