Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Ray Mabus visited sailors and Military Sealift Command (MSC) civil service mariners attached to the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), June 7. The SECNAV’s visit included a tour of Mount Whitney, a chief pinning ceremony and an all-ha
The Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships USS Pioneer (MCM 9) and USS Chief (MCM 14) were loaded onto an ocean-going heavy lift ship as final preparations were made to get underway for their new homeport in Sasebo, Japan May 31. Pioneer and Chief will be part of forward deployed naval forces (FD
In a training evolution to be conducted as part of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2014 exercise series, U.S. Navy divers, assisted by personnel from the Indonesian navy, will survey the World War II wreck of the cruiser USS Houston (CA 30) in June. The purpose of the mission
Four NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (SNMCMG1) arrived in Karlskrona on Thursday, 5 June 2014, for a scheduled port visit and pre-sail conference in advance of the annual BALTOPS exercise. SNMCMG1 is visiting the port as part of the Group’s deployment to the Ba
The NATO counter-piracy flagship ESPS Cristobal Colon helped to provide specialised training to the Royal Omani Navy in the port of Salalah. On Sunday, 1 June 2014, Captain Amor Humaid Al Zakwani, Commander of the Royal Oman Navy Southern Area, accompanied by several other officers from the Fast P
Thousands of people from across the UK descended on Southsea in Portsmouth for the 70th anniversary commemorations of D Day. Veterans were given pride of place at a special Drumhead ceremony near the war memorial with 144 members of all three Services on parade as a ceremonial guard of honour as w
NATO Defence Ministers on Tuesday (3 June) decided to extend NATO’s counter-piracy operation Ocean Shield until the end of 2016. Since August 2009, NATO ships have patrolled the waters off the Horn of Africa as part of Operation Ocean Shield. Their mission is to contribute to international efforts
The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) welcomed aboard U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel during a scheduled port visit to Constanta, Romania, June 5. Vella Gulf’s presence in Romania reaffirms the United States’ commitment to strengthening ties with NATO allies and
During her recent port visit to the Seychelles, the EU Naval Force flagship, FGS Brandenburg conducted an oil spill exercise with units of the Seychelles Coast Guard, Air Force, Fire and Rescue Services, Port authorities and Maritime Safety Administration. The command team of FGS Brandenburg coord
Royal Australian Navy submarine, HMAS Sheean, has been hunted from the air and sea as part of Exercise Bersama Shield off the Malay Peninsula. Exercise Bersama Shield is designed to enhance the interoperability of Five Power Defence Arrangement member nations. Australian Defence Force (ADF) elemen
The eighth iteration of Phoenix Express 2014 concluded June 4, after three weeks of maritime security training scenarios ashore and at sea. Phoenix Express, one of four U.S. Africa Command-sponsored regional maritime exercises, brought together maritime forces from North Africa, Europe, and the U.
USS Ross (DDG 71) departed its Norfolk homeport June 3 on her way to Rota, Spain, as the second of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to be forward deployed there. To enhance the security of the European region, two additional ballistic missile defense (BMD)-capable destroyers – US
Thirteen nations are scheduled to participate in the 42nd annual joint exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2014, set for June 6-21, in the Baltic Sea. BALTOPS aims to enhance multinational maritime capabilities and interoperability, while improving involvement in the larger Baltic region theater
A small team of personnel from the Royal UK Navy’s 815 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), based at RNAS Yeovilton, visited South Korea to develop operating and maintenance procedures for the Lynx aircraft that both nations operate. 815 Squadron, which currently operates the Lynx Mk8 aircraft, hold an affil
