A Plymouth based frigate has played a starring role in a maritime security exercise off the coast of West Africa. Whilst on deployment on Atlantic Patrol Task (South) reassurance duties, the Type 23 frigate, HMS Argyll, has successfully completed the multi-national exercise, Saharan Express, off the
Some contributing nations support the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta with specialised assets to counter piracy off the Horn of Africa. Estonia supports Operation Atalanta with a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) on board the French frigate FS Courbet. VPDs are ready to emba
The Royal Navy’s last Type 42 destroyer has left New York and is heading home following a highly successful visit to the Big Apple. At the end of this month, HMS Edinburgh will return to her home port of Portsmouth and bring to an end 30 years of loyal service to the Royal Navy as […]
On 17 March, during a visit by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez to Salalah, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met with Omani officials in Salalah. The EU NAVFOR Force Commander met the Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman’s
A Portchester sailor has been presented with a medal for 17 years of service to the Royal Navy while serving on the icebreaker HMS Protector. In an unusual setting, Leading Seaman Scott Black was given the medal standing on an iceberg off Detaille Island on the edge of Antarctica – one of the most r
On 15 March, the German Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD), deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta, transferred the responsibility for the protection of the World Food Programme (WFP) ship MV Caroline Scan to an AVPD from Finland. The German AVPD returns
Sailors on board a Royal Navy warship operating off the coast of Africa have saved the life of a Japanese fisherman who had suffered a serious head injury. HMS Argyll was on operations approximately 20 miles off the Cape Verde coast when she received the news that a fisherman onboard the Trawler Wak
After MV Royal Grace was released by pirates on Friday 8 March, it was EU Naval Force Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel ESPS Rayo who ensured that the chemical tanker and her crew stayed safe as the vessel sailed north towards Omani waters. ESPS Rayo was conducting counter piracy patrols last Friday 8
An enormous 700-tonne bridge section was fitted to the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth shipyard on March 14. This magnificent endeavor was conducted in the presence of Defence Secretary Mr. Philip Hammond, who paid a visit to the shipyard so as to oversee the bridge s
HMS Northumberland flew the flag for Britain when she was Britain’s participant in a major naval exercise involving more than two dozen nations in Karachi. Hosted by the Pakistani Navy, Exercise Aman – Urdu for ‘peace’ – demonstrates the united resolve of the nations taking part to combat criminal a
Royal Navy warship HMS Argyll has arrived in Dakar, Senegal for the start of a huge multi-national exercise off the coast of West Africa. The Type-23 frigate will represent the UK at Exercise Saharan Express which has been designed to improve cooperation for the participating nations while they oper
It has been a busy couple of days for EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez. The Spanish warship, which is conducting EU counter piracy patrols off the Somali coast, was once again able to provide much needed protection, this time to super tanker MV Smyrni, after the vessel was relea
Spanish Marines serving in the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) celebrated the 476th anniversary of the Spanish Marine Corps. Founded in 1537, during the reign of Carlos I, the Spanish Marine Corps is the oldest extant Marine Corps in the World. Unable to
HMS Richmond and her sister HMS Westminster have been charging around the fjords of Norway as the submarine commanders of tomorrow were tested to the limit. The two frigates joined some 20 NATO warships and aircraft trying to hunt down two submarines carrying students on the world-famous internation
