Defense Strategies
New DCOM EU NAVFOR Takes Over Duty
On 13 July 2012, Rear Admiral Rainer Endres (German Navy) handed over the role of Deputy Operation Commander (DCOM) of the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta to Rear Admiral Gualtiero Mattesi (Italian Navy). The handover was conducted at the EU NAVFOR Operation Headq
Sea Breeze 2012 Second Phase Kicks Off in Odesa, Ukraine
The Sea Breeze 2012 Second Phase has been launched in Odesa involving Ukrainian, American, Turkish, and Georgian ships. During the exercise, the Navies of different countries work closely with coast and naval services. According to Ukrainian Captain First Rank Denis Berezovsky, militaries from 17 co
Ukraine: USS Jason Dunham Marks Start of Exercise Sea Breeze 2012
Guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) hosted a reception in Odessa, Ukraine, during Exercise Sea Breeze 2012, July 9. The reception was an opportunity for the ship to host military and civilian guests and celebrate the start of Exercise Sea Breeze 2012, the largest multinational mariti
UAE: UKMTO Royal Navy Personnel Join Celebrations of Armed Forces Day 2012
On 27 June, Royal Navy personnel deployed to UK Maritime Trade Organisation (UKMTO) joined in the celebrations for Armed Forces Day 2012 by hosting a charity cake sale and tea party at the British Embassy in Dubai and were joined by some very distinguished visitors. The event took place at the Embas
Estonian Prime Minister Pays Diplomatic Visit to HMS York
Fresh from a four-country exercise, HMS York has stopped in Tallinn on the last call of her Baltic deployment. Following a high profile visit to St Petersburg in Russia her crew had to be quick to prepare the Type 42 for a last-minute visit by Estonia’s Prime Minister Andrus Anslip. He toured the sh
EU Naval Force Comes to the Rescue of Comoros Flagged Vessel
On the afternoon of 4 July, in the rough seas of the Gulf of Aden, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian Frigate Scirocco rescued a Comoros flagged supply vessel which had been adrift and in total black out for more than 13 hours. The entire operation lasted in excess of 24 hours and was conducted [&he
French Navy Returns Gowind OPV L’Adroit to Her Homeport
Gowind® offshore patrol vessel L’Adroit returned to her homeport of Toulon on 29 June 2012 after a two-month mission in the Mediterranean. DCNS has made the ship available to the French Navy for three years. The client Navies, in turn, is using the ship primarily for government missions at sea. Duri
Merlins Participate in NATO Anti-Submarine Warfare Exercise (Norway)
Fresh from maritime security operations in the Indian Ocean, Merlins of 814 Naval Air Squadron decamped to Stavanger to hunt three diesel boats determined to ‘sink’ a German tanker. Normally they don’t make it quite as easy as this for the Navy’s top submarine hunters to find them… The tell-tale mas
Admiral Stanhope Underlines Importance of Aircraft Carriers (UK)
First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope gave a keynote speech yesterday to international naval leaders, historians and maritime experts, underlining the importance of the aircraft carrier to the future of the Navy – and the nation. Addressing the Future Maritime Operations Conference at the globall
Royal Navy of Oman Takes Over 7 Somalis Suspected of Piracy
On July 1, HNLMS Evertsen, the flagship of NATO’s counterpiracy mission Ocean Shield, handed over 7 Somalis suspected of piracy to the Royal Navy of Oman. The suspects and all of the evidence were transferred to the Omani navy ship RNOV Al Muazzar (C32). The suspects were apprehended in the morning
Gulf of Aden: Italian Frigate Scirocco Assists Tug Amid Engine Troubles
On the morning of June 28th 2012, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Italian Frigate Scirocco provided technical assistance to a tug type vessel which experienced an engine failure while sailing in international waters in the Gulf of Aden. In the evening on the 27th of June, ITS Scirocco was conducting a pa
HMS Blyth Embarks on Six Month NATO Deployment in the Mediterranean
Following six months of preparation and training, Royal Navy mine hunter, HMS Blyth ”left the wall” on Friday, June 29, from her home port of HM Naval Base Clyde to start her journey to the Mediterranean for a six month NATO deployment. The highly equipped Sandown class ship is off to join a NATO ta
SNMG2 Prepares for Bulgarian Naval Exercise “BREEZE 2012”
The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is currently preparing for the Bulgarian naval exercise “BREEZE 2012”, an annual , national, naval exercise with international participation and directed by the Bulgarian Navy Command. The exercise involves naval units from the Bulgarian Navy, the Turkish N
EUNAVFOR Frigates Escort WFP Ship MV Tupi Maiden 3 (Gulf of Aden)
From the 18th to 21st June 2012, EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) frigates Guépratte and Reina Sofia collaborated with USS Taylor, engaged in TF 508 (NATO) to escort World Food Programme chartered ship MV Tupi Maiden 3. The escort of WFP ship started in Salalah (Oman) and was performed by EUNAVFOR French f