After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, French frigate FS Courbet has joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The French frigate replaces the FS Surcouf, who has been operating within the EU counter-piracy operation since last December. On Monday 18 February
As part of the Fisheries Monitoring Plan for 2013, the offshore patrol boat ‘Tarifa’ will participate in the International Joint Deployment Plan in the Bay of Biscay for the deep sea fishing campaign in the northeastern Atlantic. Several ships and aircraft from different nations will deploy in the a
Australian Defence Minister Stephen Smith visited Stockholm, Sweden on Wednesday 20 February. Australia and Sweden have shared values, a common strategic interest in peacekeeping and stabilisation operations and a longstanding history of cooperation on submarines. Minister Smith met with Swedish Min
SeeByte, creator of smart software for unmanned maritime systems, and OceanServer Technology, a leading provider of unique product solutions in the fields of sensor technologies and robotics, announced the compatibility of the OceanServer Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Iver2, with SeeByte’s See
On 19 February, HNLMS De Ruyter, has stopped the activities of a group of suspected pirates approximately 120 nautical miles east of Eyl off the coast of Somalia. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended and taken on board of the De Ruyter. The Dutch frigate that is deployed with the European Union N
In yet another step toward becoming a fully mission-capable aircraft carrier, Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson’s (CVN 70) weapons department worked around-the-clock Feb. 17-18, making her a warship poised to do the nation’s tasking. “A weapons onload is when we receive the am
On 12 February 2013, during a port visit by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez to Port Victoria in the Seychelles, the EUNAVFOR Force Commander, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met the Chief of Defence of the Seychelles People’s Defence Force
Three Merlin helicopters will go a-hunting off Sicily this weekend as they join the biggest anti-submarine exercise in western Europe. The aircraft, plus 75 personnel from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, are Britain’s contribution to NATO’s Proud Manta, a two-week war game involving the forces of ten All
The Swedish Coast Guard MPRA aircraft left the Seychelles on 15 February 2013 after a productive four month deployment to the Seychelles as part of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The Swedish coastguard Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, joined the operation in October 2012 and lef
HMS Exploit ventured up the River Avon to the bustling port of Bristol on Sea Weekend Number 8 of the 2012-2013 academic year during a cold, crisp and sunny February weekend. Exploit, tender to Birmingham University Royal Navy Unit (URNU) berthed in the port’s Cumberland Basin at the high profile Ar
Expanding cooperation in the field of maritime security was the main subject discussed during another set of bilateral staff talks between Polish and French Navies on February 14 in Gdynia (Poland). Vice admiral Ryszard Demczuk, Deputy Commander of the Polish Navy and Rear admiral Charles-Henri du C
On February 14, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CBE (UK Navy), took over command of the NATO Maritime Headquarters during a brief ceremony in Northwood, London. He takes over at a time of major change within NATO which sees Northwood as the Alliance’s sole maritime command with command of the range of NAT
Australian Minister for Defence Stephen Smith hosted today his Spanish counterpart Minister Pedro Morenés Eulate, who is staying in a visit to Melbourne. They were joined by the Minister for Defence Materiel, Dr Mike Kelly. Minister Morenés was in Melbourne to conduct bilateral discussions and to pa
Despite being thousands of miles from home, when it comes to Valentines Day even the toughest sailor and marine can’t escape the aim of Cupid’s arrow. And turning up the heat in the already scorching operational arenas of the Gulf and Afghanistan are the ship’s company of HMS Monmouth and 40 Command