Royal Navy Fishery Protection Vessel HMS Mersey was joined by her sister ships HMS Severn and HMS Tyne for the annual Fishery Protection Squadron Exercise last week. The exercise saw the ships put through their paces in a series of challenging combined evolutions at sea as well as team-building and
Members of the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group (SPAG) from all three Services have been putting their parachuting skills to the test in Gibraltar this week. The Group’s main task is to deploy a team of people with escape and rescue knowledge to the scene of a submarine in distress – and to do s
EU NAVFOR hosted a press conference on 20 February 2012 to present an update on Operation ATALANTA, piracy off the Horn of Africa and a view towards future developments. The briefing was hosted by Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan L. Potts with Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Rainer En
Hundreds of workers at a British missile factory have been thanked by the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff for their efforts in supporting the Armed Forces during the Libya intervention. The Minister visited MBDA UK at Lostock in Bolton last week to see for himself w
For the first time, France, Poland and the United States have taken part in the General Officers Steering Committee (GOSC) of the Extended Air Defence Task Force (EADTF) between 13 and 17 February 2012. These countries wish to eventually become full members of this German-Dutch organisation, which o
Following his posting as Commander of the UK Counter-Piracy Task Group, Captain Gerry Northwood, Royal Navy, has written in The Times newspaper about how concerted efforts are helping reduce attacks on merchant vessels. Captain Northwood writes: “Eleven pirates on board with automatic weapons and ro
12 countries, including the Royal Netherlands Navy as a representative of the Netherlands, are currently combating drugs smuggling in a large area of the Caribbean extending to the Pacific Ocean in Operation Martillo. The emphasis is on South and Central American coastal waters. This operation will
Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Vladimir Vysotsky took part in the session of defense ministry’s press club. Meeting with the press, he discussed current condition of Russian Navy and its development prospects till and after 2020. Speaking of implementation of the shipbuilding program, Vysotsky
Unsuccessful test launches of Bulava ballistic missile are associated with human factor, said Chief of Russian General Staff Gen. Nikolai Makarov on Feb 18. “You must be aware of a number of Bulava’s faulty test launches. We stopped test program trying to puzzle out the problem. Generally, the reaso
From its port in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, and travelling through the Red Sea into the area of operation off the Coast of Somalia, the FGS BERLIN joins the multi-national EU NAVFOR off the Horn of Africa , 17 February 2012. The FGS BERLIN is a class 702 combat supply ship, capable of refuelling and re
Reports that Ukraine is allegedly planning to put new taxes on Russian Black Sea Fleet (BSF) base in Sevastopol is incorrect, said Russian foreign ministry’s official Mariya Zakharova on Feb 16. “Ukrainian party has not brought up taxation issues of BSF assets in Sevastopol”, she told Interfax. Earl
French Mistral-class amphibious landing ships built for Russian Navy will be equipped with weapon systems made in Russia, reported Interfax referring to Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief ADM Vladimir Vysotsky. “We’re going to mount close-in missile systems with the view to improve the ship’s protectio
Production on HMS PRINCE OF WALES, the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier, has started today at BAE Systems in Portsmouth Naval Base – the future home of the Queen Elizabeth Class. Work on the forward section of the hull, known as Lower Block 02, commenced as Commander-in -Chief Fleet Adm
Two Royal Navy Reservists have swapped their civilian lives for a year serving as part of the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron. They are manning the Royal Navy’s Fast Patrol Boats patrolling the shores of Gibraltar at the entrance to the Mediteranean. Able Rate Alex Harper (22) and Able Rate Matthew Am
