Defense Strategies
FS Siroco Hosts Meeting with Somaliland Representatives
On Sunday, 15 December 2013, EU Naval Force French flagship, FS Siroco hosted a meeting with Somaliland representatives, including Vice President Abdirahman Abdallahi Ismail Saylici. “We welcome this engagement with EUCAP Nestor as it will pave the way for technical cooperation in the field of mar
Ukrainian Navy Command Revises Lessons Learnt in Active Endeavor
The Ukrainian Navy Command hosted a debriefing on Ternopil corvette’s (U209) participation in NATO’s Active Endeavor anti-terrorist operation held in the Mediterranean. Admiral Yurii Ilyin, Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, remarked that the corvette’s crew and the inspection group had successfully c
Italian Warship Hosts Force Commander of EU Navfor
On Wednesday 11 December the Force Commander of EUNAVFOR, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjéan, visited ITS Libeccio. The Italian warship is currently conducting counter piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean as part of the European Union’s Operation Atalanta. The visit was an opportunity for the
Spanish Navy Patrol Vessel Tornado Supports Food Aid to Reach Kismayo
On Wednesday 11 December, Spanish EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) ship ESPS Tornado completed a three day escort of a World Food Programme (WFP) chartered vessel. The WFP ship was escorted by ESPS Tornado from Mombasa to the port of Kismayo in Somalia. During the escort, members of the Spanish Navy crew
First 125 Class German Navy Frigate Christened
The first of a total of four 125 Class frigates for the German Navy was today christened “Baden-Württemberg” at a ceremony at the Hamburg site of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems – a company of ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions. This is an important milestone in the construction program for the F125 Clas
Royal Navy to Protect UK Marine Conservation Areas
The Royal Navy has adopted a new approach to minimising its impact on the environment that could become a blueprint for other Naval services. It has produced Environmental Protection Guidelines (Maritime) (EPG(M)), an interactive military layer of electronic charting which provides advice on the sui
HMS Daring Docks in Shanghai, China
After supporting ongoing British relief efforts in the Philippines, HMS Daring has arrived in Shanghai. The goodwill visit to China comes at an important time in bilateral relations, just after the UK-China summit when Prime Minister David Cameron led a strong delegation of ministers and businessmen
Ukrainian Frigate Resumes Anti-Piracy Patrol under Ocean Shield
On December 10, the servicemen of the national contingent of the Ukrainian frigate Hetman Sahaydachnyi, led by Rear Admiral Andriy Tarasov flew on Ka-27 helicopter to the Spanish Frigate Alvaro de Bazan (F101) where they got acquainted with the new Commander of NATO’s Tactical Group of Ships, Rear A
FS Siroco Joins EU NAVFOR
On Friday 6 December 2013, the French Navy ship FS Siroco joined the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. FS Siroco will be the flagship of the European Union’s counter piracy operation off the coast of Somalia for the next four months. Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean is the Force Comma
Spanish Navy at the Helm of NATO Counter-Piracy Operation
Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group ONE (SNMG1), Commodore Henning Amundsen handed over command of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD task force (CTF-508) at one minute past midnight December 7 to Rear-Admiral Eugenio Diaz Del Rio, Commander SNMG2. The two commanders and staffs met a
German Navy Officer Sails with USS Roosevelt
A German navy officer is currently underway on the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) as part of the Personnel Exchange Program (PEP). Lt. Maik Welk, from Rostarch, Germany, brings nine years of experience in the German navy to Roosevelt where he currently serves as
FGS Niedersachsen Heads Home
After spending almost five months operating with the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta off Somalia, German frigate FGS Niedersachsen is heading home. During its time with Operation Atalanta, FGS Niedersachsen sailed a total of 26,000 nautical miles and conducted daily counter piracy patrols to
ITS Libeccio Reaches Halfway Point in Counter Piracy Deployment
Italian warship ITS Libeccio has reached the half way point in its four month deployment with the European Union Naval Force, operating off Somalia. ITS Libeccio, which has 237 sailors on board, took over counter piracy duties from another Italian warship, ITS Zeffiro on 6 October 2013. Having now s
Royal Navy Keeps Indian Ocean Safe
Not a single ship was seized by pirates during the Royal Navy’s three-month spell in command of a task force patrolling the Indian Ocean for modern-day buccaneers. The ships of Combined Task Force 151 also succeeded in hunting down one pirate action group after the raiders’ two failed attempts to hi