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
Military representatives from eight Mediterranean countries from Africa and Europe came together with the U.S. Navy for the main planning conference in support of Exercise Phoenix Express 2013 in Garmisch, Germany, Feb. 5-8. Phoenix Express, set to take place in the spring, is an at-sea maritime exe
The three-day initial planning conference for Africa Partnership Station took place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 11-13. The primary operational elements of APS include international partner missions conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, with African n
After a 550-mile journey from the south coast, the forward island of HMS Queen Elizabeth has safely arrived in Rosyth to join the rest of the carrier. The iconic 700-tonne structure passed beneath the Forth Rail Bridge at mid-day yesterday and is now in the dockyard, where it will be raised on to th
At the beginning of February Rear Admiral Antonio NATALE welcomed RADM Vladimir Nikolayevich Vdovenko, Commander of Russian Federation Pacific Fleet Task Group on board the NATO flagship ITS San Marco. The meeting was a useful opportunity to discuss naval operations and in particular where there are
The Philippines: AGHAM Calls for Naval, Ship-Building Self-Reliance In light of the recent Tubbataha incident, activist scientist group AGHAM or Advocates of Science and Technology for the People called on the Philippine government to build a national ship-building industry that will strengthen the
Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus visited Sailors, Marines and Department of the Navy civilians in the Pacific Northwest, Feb. 6-7. The SECNAV’s visits included all-hands calls at Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) Bremerton, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) and a tour of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN
Military Sealift Command-chartered HSV Swift (HSV 2) completed a nearly 10-month deployment to the Europe and Africa areas of responsibility Jan. 31. During that time, Swift and her crew of contract mariners and a U.S. Navy detachment conducted 38 port visits to Africa and 15 to Europe, circumnaviga
The Royal Navy’s state-of-the-art Sandown Class mine hunter HMS Bangor will visit Fishguard from February 12-14. The 52.7 metre ship will host a number of organised groups during her time in port, including local sea cadets and youngsters who have expressed an interest in joining the Royal Navy and
SSBN K-51 Verkhoturye recommissioned into the Northern Fleet. The Project 667 class submarine (NATO Delta 4) arrived at the main nuclear submarine base… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy, February 7, 2013; Image: tsushima
The Reservists from HMS King Alfred, the South East’s Royal Navy Reserve Unit, took their bosses on a tour of HMS Dauntless to raise awareness and understanding of the important work that Reservists carry out when at sea in a support capacity. The visit took place during a break in the Type 45 class
Portsmouth-based Royal Navy minehunter HMS Cattistock sailed yesterday (February 4) on a four-month NATO mission in the Mediterranean. She will be working as part of a permanent multinational maritime force in the area called the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). Ships from alli
Politicians from across Europe have visited HMS Monmouth to see how the Black Duke is helping to keep the waters of the Gulf safe. The Plymouth-based frigate, approaching the half-way point in her deployment to the Gulf, was visited by 25 MPs from 11 countries who serve on the Transatlantic Defence
