Rear Adm. John B. Nowell assumed command of Amphibious Force SEVENTH Fleet, Expeditionary Strike Group Seven (ESG 7) and Task Force 76 (CTF 76) from Rear Adm. Hugh D. Wetherald during a change of command ceremony aboard USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Aug. 29. Wetherald leaves ESG 7/ CTF 76 to report a
The FFG frigate Santa María (F-81) has just returned to her homeport in Rota Naval Base after a 45-day deployment integrated into the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2). For this international counter-terrorist operation (Active Endeavor), the Santa María embarked a helicopter from the 10th Air
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) returned to Naval Station Norfolk Aug. 28, following a seven-month deployment in the U.S. 4th Fleet and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operations. Jason Dunham deployed to the Caribbean on Jan. 27. With an embarked U.S. Coast Guard
The crew of the hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) wrapped up their 10-day visit in Da Nang, Vietnam on August 28, completing the ship’s last mission stop of Pacific Partnership 2015. One of the highlights of the mission in Vietnam was a restorative medicine summit, where U.S. Navy and Vietnamese mi
The crew of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike) returned to sea, Aug. 28, following a 23-month dry-docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). With 14 deployments to its credit, Ike commenced the availability period in Sept. 2013, to rec
Cmdr. Don Tenney relieved Cmdr. Trent Hesslink as commanding officer of the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) during a ceremony on Naval Base Point Loma, Aug. 28. Retired Rear Adm. Michael McLaughlin, a former commander of Submarine Squadron (CSS) 11, was the guest sp
The 21st annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and the Royal Thai Armed Forces began Aug. 27 in the vicinity of Sattahip Naval Base. The Thailand phase of CARAT 2015 consists of eight days of shore-based and at-sea training events
Adm. Eduardo Bacellar Leal Ferreira, commander of the Brazilian Navy, toured U.S. Navy training facilities at Recruit Training Command (RTC), the Navy’s only boot camp, Aug. 21. Ferreira was joined on the tour by Rear Adm. Stephen C. Evans, commander, Naval Service Training Command, who hosted Ferre
The fast-attack submarine USS Seawolf (SSN 21) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton Aug. 21, following a six-month deployment. During the deployment, Seawolf conducted routine submarine operations, which included scheduled under-ice transits and under-ice operations. The Navy has
Spanish Navy’s auxiliary oiler and replenishment (AOR) ship Cantabria, a part of NATO’s counter-terrorist operation Active Endeavor, has conducted a VBSS (Visit, Board, Search and Seizure) operation against a merchant vessel, allegedly involved in illegal arms trafficking and terrorist-related activ
Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) arrived in Tunis on Friday, August 21. The force composed of four ships from three nations is currently deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to enhance maritime security and to show NATO’s presence in the area. The port visit to Tunis is part of a series of rout
The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) returned to its homeport Aug. 21 following its final regularly-scheduled deployment. Albuquerque, under the command of Cmdr. Trent Hesslink, returned from the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility where the crew executed the Chief
The Units of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) engaged in Cross Pollination (X-Poll) to strengthen the personal and professional relationships between the sailors. Units from Canada, Germany, Spain and Turkey arranged for this meeting and each exchanged up to five sailors for the following days
Spanish Navy’s auxiliary oiler and replenishment (AOR) ship Cantabria, part of the counter-terrorist operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean Sea, is the Spain’s first oiler to supply fuel to three ships simultaneously. During the alongside connected replenishment manoeuver, the Cantabria supp
