Defense Strategies
Italy: NRF Warships Bound for Brilliant Mariner Exercise
A large fleet of warships from NATO’s Response Force (NRF) sailed from ports across Europe to take part in the maritime exercise “Brilliant Mariner” in the Mediterranean Sea that starts on Wednesday 25 September 2013 . The warships will take part in integration training that will enable them to resp
FGS Niedersachsen Assists Merchant Vessel
Last week the German frigate FGS Niedersachsen, deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU ANVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta received an emergency call from the Italian merchant vessel MV Jolly Perla. A crew member had acute heart problems and needed immediate medical assistance. After consultation with
HMS Trenchant Begins Her RAMP at Devonport, UK
Trafalgar class nuclear powered attack submarine (SSN) HMS Trenchant has docked down at Devonport Royal Dockyard for a substantial two year Revalidation and Assisted Maintenance Period (RAMP) being undertaken by Babcock. The RAMP will ensure the submarine is safe to operate for the rest of her commi
US Military Assets Ready Should Diplomatic Track in Syria Fall Through
U.S. military assets remain ready to launch attacks if the diplomatic efforts to secure and dismantle the Syrian regime’s chemical arms should fail, senior U.S. defense officials said yesterday in Washington. In a Pentagon news conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. D
NATO, Chinese Navy Commanders Address Counter-Piracy
NATO’s Operation OCEAN SHIELD Force Commander, Norwegian Commodore Henning Amundsen met with the Commander of the Chinese Maritime Forces ETG 999, Rear Admiral Jiang Zhonghua on board the NATO Flagship HNoMS FRIDTJOF NANSEN this Sunday, 15 September, 2013. Although this is the eighth time the two na
FGS Niedersachsen Sailors Get Voting Papers Onboard
On Wednesday 11 September, German frigate FGS Niedersachsen received a special kind of air mail, when a Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft parachuted in voting papers for 20 sailors on board for the forthcoming parliamentary elections in Germany. The warship, which has 230 men and women on board is cu
HMS Montrose Boarding Teams Finish NMIOTC
The combined Royal Marine and Royal Navy Boarding Teams of HMS Montrose have spent 4 days, operating out of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operations Training Centre (NMIOTC) at Souda Bay, Crete. Putting their Standard Operating Procedures through a rigorous programme of tests and instructional peri
ESPS Meteoro Embarks UAV
On Tuesday 10 September, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro embarked a Skeldar V-200 Reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the port of Djibouti. Prior to embarking the UAV on board the ESPS Meteoro, it was tested by the Spanish Navy in Canary Islands waters on board th
Top News of the Week September 9 – 15, 2013
Taiwan to Buy Warships from US Navy Taiwan Navy is planning to buy two warships from the US Navy, according to the Agence France-Presse. The warships will be Perry-class frigates, which are estimated to be worth up to USD 5.6 billion. The purchase is part of Taiwan Navy’s efforts to modernize their
HMS Montrose, Hellenic Navy Exercise in Mediterranean
As part of the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), HMS Montrose Is currently in the Mediterranean as part of the COUGAR 13 deployment. One of the main aims of the RFTG and COUGAR 13 is to promote interaction with our allied forces in the region, and as such HMS Montrose Seized the opportunity to colla
UK: Royal Navy Frigate Arrived Home
The crew of the Royal Naval frigate HMS Argyll was given a rousing hero’s welcome yesterday (Thursday) by hundreds of cheering relatives and friends when the ship returned from a successful maritime policing patrol. About 500 banner-waving family members and friends welcomed the ship back home to Pl
UK: Cassidian Optronics Presents New OMS 200 Low-Profile Optronic Mast
At this year’s DSEI exhibition in London, Cassidian Optronics GmbH, previously known as Carl Zeiss Optronics, presents its new OMS 200 low-profile optronic mast. Using newly developed passive sensors the system improves reconnaissance capabilities, especially when visibility is bad. At the same time
Somali President Speaks Out for Maritime Cooperation on HNLMS Johan de Witt
“Somalia is open to further cooperation with the European Union in the area of maritime security”, said President Hassan Sheik Mohamoud of Somalia last week while on board HNLMS Johan de Witt on the Indian Ocean in a position close to the capital city of Mogadishu. The president sees this type of co
HMS Penzance Heads for Mediterranean
Minehunter HMS Penzance has left Scotland to begin her stint with a NATO force patrolling the Mediterranean. Just three months after leaving refit on the Forth, the Faslane-based vessel is joining Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2, taking over from HMS Ledbury. Just three months after emerging f