The frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ (F-101) departed Ferrol yesterday morning towards Barcelona to relieve the frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ (F-103) as command ship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2). The SNMG-2 is made up of escorts and logistic ships from different NATO nations. Spanish Navy Rear-a
On Friday 4 October, during their recent visit to the Port of Djibouti, EU Naval Force warship ESPS Meteoro conducted a diving exercise with the Djiboutian Navy and Coastguard, organised in cooperation with EUCAP Nestor. The Djiboutian Forces and EUCAP Nestor team were welcomed on board by the Comma
On Saturday 5 October, the counter piracy Force Commanders from Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the EU Naval Force and NATO met at sea off the Somali Coast on board the EU Naval Force flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt. The aim of the meeting was to review the current and future situation concerning pira
One week into the exercise, Brilliant Mariner 2013 is gaining momentum and Task Force 445 (TF445) is keeping pace. So far, the units participating in the exercise have been conducting “serialised” exercises, ranging from gunnery practise to anti-submarine and anti-aircraft drills. This helped the 23
The Navy’s first Joint High Speed Vessel, USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1), successfully completed its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) end-to-end event, NAVSEA announced Oct. 3. This test represents the last event in the JHSV program’s IOT&E schedule, a series of post-delivery test and trials
On Tuesday 1 October 2013, Italian warship ITS Zeffiro conducted a Friendly Approach with a Yemeni dhow in the waters of the Gulf of Aden. ITS Zeffiro sent a Djiboutian linguist with the warship’s security team to the dhow in order to investigate the nature of the crew’s activities. The security tea
Australian Minister for Defence Senator David Johnston today announced the entry of the Royal Australian Navy Fleet into Sydney Harbour for the International Fleet Review. Senator Johnston said the International Fleet Review was planned in partnership with the NSW Government and the City of Sydney a
A major multinational military exercise is set to get underway in October with dozens of ships, aircraft and land units participating across Scotland. Exercise Joint Warrior is a tri-service multinational exercise held during the spring and autumn of each year. Providing high quality tactical traini
NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), General Philip Breedlove, paid a visit to Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) flagship ESPS BLAS DE LEZO accompanied by Commander Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Vice Admiral Peter Hudson during Exercise BRILLIANT MARINER 2013. SACEUR and MARCOM
A large fleet of warships from NATO’s Response Force (NRF) are taking part in Exercise “Brilliant Mariner 2013” which is currently underway in the Mediterranean Sea. This training exercise enables NATO’s maritime force to respond to operational needs or crisis situations anywhere in the world, as an
After a year of planning, two days of intensive preparation and three days of determined hard work, Exercise Cambrian Trader has drawn to a close. Located in Milford Haven, and hosted by the Port of Milford Haven, the exercise involved, amongst others, HMS Mersey, Dyfed Powys Police, Royal Navy dive
The Royal Netherlands Navy landing platform dock HNLMS Rotterdam (L800) arrived in Sekondi, Ghana for a comprehensive set of security-enhancing activities that fall under the international partnership program Africa Partnership Station (APS), Sept. 28. Rotterdam and embarked International Marine Tas
A Royal Naval sailor has been presented with an award for an exemplary career including as an engineer helping train Royal Fleet Auxiliary, Royal Navy and other navies. Warrant Officer1 Steve Partridge, 45, was presented with a Meritorious Service Medal y Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral David Steel on
Operation OCEAN SHIELD flagship HNoMS FRIDTJOF NANSEN provided medical assistance to the villagers of Qandala, on the northern coast of Somalia on Thursday, 26 September 2013. The medical assistance was arranged at a meeting between OCEAN SHIELD ship USS DE WERT and Qandala elders earlier in Septemb
