The Spanish frigate ‘Numancia’ has arrived at her home port in Rota Naval Base with 197 people on board after a five-month deployment in operation ‘Atalanta’ fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean as part of EUNAVFOR (European Union Naval Force). The Spanish warship has finished her second deployment i
Submariner, Commander Tony “Gecko” Ellis, has found new friends in far away places, during a visit to the Indian Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu, India. Commander Ellis is a student at the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC) in Canberra. He, and a small delegation
AVEVA today announced its publication of a new business paper – ‘Taking Command: How AVEVA technology can increase capabilities in naval fleet management’. In this paper, AVEVA examines six ways that navies can exploit technologies used in other sectors, such as the offshore industry, to work more c
As part of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) commitment to Continuous Professional Development, around 200 Air Engineers & Warrant Officers gathered at HMS Sultan for the biennial Royal Navy Air Engineer Officers’ Conference. Chaired by Commodore Malcolm Toy, Head of Specialisation for Air Engineers lectures
On Sunday 18 August, fourteen participants along with several EUCAP Nestor trainers boarded the Dutch EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt in Djibouti, to embark for a one week’s training course on Maritime Security. This course, the second to be organised by EUCAP Nestor, brings t
A twice-decorated submariner who undertook dangerous convoy missions to Malta in the Second World War and plotted mines before the 1944 South Coast of France landings has celebrated his 100th birthday. Captain William Hedley Kett DSC* RD* RNR served for six years (1940 – 46) under the sea during the
On August 6th, after passing through the Suez Canal, navigating the Red Sea and crossing the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, the Spanish warship ESPS Meteoro has been integrated into the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta. The ESPS Meteoro is the first of a series of four mod
Yesterday Commander Task Force 465, Commodore Peter Lenselink, visited Commander Task Force 508, Commodore Henning Amundsen, on board HNoMS FRIDTJOF NANSEN to discuss ongoing counter-piracy operations. Combined Task Force 465 is the European Union Naval Force, which executes counter piracy Operation
On 14 August, whilst in Djibouti the FGS Augsburg handed over the German commitment to the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta to FGS Niedersachsen. The handover was presided over by Captain Stefan Pauly, Branch Head of Maritime Operations from the Joint Forces Operatio
In the last week there have been no significant events, as a result the NATO Shipping Centre (NSC) has removed all Areas of Concern which were published last week (01-07 Aug 2013), NSC said in a weekly update. Nevertheless, the threat of piracy remains and vigilance is required when transiting thoug
Pacific Partnership 2013 concluded its final mission port, the Solomon Islands, Aug. 13. U.S. Navy forces were joined by several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and regional partners that included Australia, Canada, Colombia, France, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, and New Zealand wit
Sailors from the Royal and Italian Navies stood side-by-side as they honoured men killed in the battles to keep the nation’s maritime lifelines open in both World Wars. The ceremony at the Tower Hill Memorial in London was part of a five-day visit to the capital by the magnificent Italian naval cade
On Monday, 12 August 2013, the Dutch frigate HNLMS VAN SPEIJK concluded more than two months deployment in support of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD and began her voyage back to the Netherlands. VAN SPEIJK joined OCEAN SHIELD just days before Commodore Henning Amundsen took command of
Earlier this week, the Maltese Special Duties Enhanced Boarding Team (MSDEBT) on board the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) ship Johan de Witt conducted a fast-rope exercise. They fast-roped from one of the two Cougar helicopters embarked on the Dutch warship. The Johan de Witt is currently the flagship of
