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
EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez provided much-needed assistance to the crew of chemical tanker MV Royal Grace after the vessel was unexpectedly released by Somali pirates. The pirates had held the vessel after attacking it over a year earlier, on 2 March 2012 in the Gulf of Oma
During a port visit to Bahrain, HMS Monmouth has hosted the Chief of Joint Operations, Lieutenant General David Capewell OBE, along with senior officers, Ministry of Defence civil servants and senior Component Commanders from across the 3 services. Alongside Bahrain for a brief overnight visit, HMS
On 04 March, during a port visit to Djibouti by the European Union Naval Force flagship, ESPS Méndez Núnez, her crew welcomed on board a group of ten members of the Djiboutian Coast Guard in order to conduct training exercises. The purpose of the visit was to conduct training for the Djiboutian Coas
During a port visit to Djibouti by Spanish EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez, and warship ESPS Rayo, Force Commander Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes held meetings with other EU leaders to demonstrate the commitment of EU NAVFOR to work together with other missions towards a
Within the framework of anti-piracy cooperation in the Gulf of Aden Russia and NATO are negotiating about fuel resupply of the warships, participating… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy, March 8, 2013; Image: Mil
The last day of February for the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 1 was also the last day of “Beneficial Cooperation”. During the two-week operation in the English Channel the ships of SNMCMG1 located and disposed of 8 individual pieces of underwater explosive ordnance (UXOs) with a total of
Three Merlin helicopters from 829 and 814 Naval Air Squadrons based at Culdrose in southwest Cornwall as well as 75 supporting air and ground crew are the UK’s input to Proud Manta– the biggest anti-submarine exercise run by NATO. Ships, submarines and aircraft from 14 nations have converged on Sici
After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, ESPS Rayo joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta on Tuesday 26 February. Having completed her first patrol in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Spanish warship is currently alongside Djibouti, together with EU
Russia Plans to Rearm BSF Russia has announced plans to rearm its Black Sea Fleet and has asked Ukraine to settle the issues regarding the planned deliveries of new weapons to the naval force, Ukraine’s defense minister said on Saturday. Italy: NATO Allies Participate in Proud Manta 2013 Exercise Pr
On 24 February 2013, whilst on counter piracy patrols in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) the Force Commander of EU NAVFOR, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met with the Commander of the NATO counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield, Rear Admiral Antonio Natale. The meeting be
Exercise Proud Manta 2013 (POMA 13), NATO’s largest anti-submarine warfare exercise, began in the Ionian Sea, Feb. 23. Participants in POMA 13 include four submarines, 16 aircraft and eight surface ships from 10 NATO nations, including the United States. POMA is an annual at-sea exercise focused on
At the end of February the Luxembourg Maritime patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) Detachment returned to the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta counter piracy mission, having taken over MPRA duties from the Swedish Coast Guard MPRA unit operating from the Seychelles. During their pr
