Shrunken but stable U.S. Defense Department budgets through fiscal 2015 allow the U.S. Navy an acceptable forward presence and have temporarily restored critical training and operations, but the force still faces shortfalls, backlogs and higher risks, the chief of naval operations said on Wednesday.
As of Thursday 13 March, the Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel, ESPS Relámpago joined the EU Naval Force to carry out counter-piracy patrols off the coast of Somalia. ESPS Relámpago has replaced ESPS Tornado as the Spanish contribution to Operation Atalanta. ESPS Tornado is now on her way back home.
Guided-missile destroyer USS Truxtun (DDG 103) arrived in Bulgaria for a port visit, March 13. Truxtun’s stay in the Black Sea will allow the ship to host an exercise planning conference with NATO allies March 15. The conference will focus on a multilateral naval exercise in the spirit of reassuri
On 6 March 2014, during the last port visit of the EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship, FS Siroco, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean was invited to brief Seychellois government and administration representatives and diplomats on the EU’s counter piracy operation. The e
Defence and security company Saab is expanding its activities in the naval arena. Saab is therefore recruiting new employees to strengthen and develop its naval capabilities. Today, Saab is one of the leading companies within the naval arena. It is a provider to the Swedish Navy, the major contrac
On March 12, NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio, concluded a three-day visit to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) and the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet (COMUSNAVCENT). During the visit, Rear Admiral Lazio met with USNAVCENT Deputy Com
Cmdr. Cory Blaser, commanding officer of USS Nicholas (FFG 47), decommissioned the ship during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk March 10; 30 years ago to the date in which it was placed into commission in 1984. Nicholas’ commissioning commanding officer, retired Vice Adm. James F. Amerualt, was
Earlier this month, a delegation from Yemen’s Coast Guard and Navy, headed by Colonel Abdul-Hafed Al-Wali, paid a visit to the Commander of NATO’s Counter-Piracy Task Force 508 (CTF-508), Rear Admiral (ESP N) Eugenio Diaz del Rio. The meeting took place on board ESPS ALVARO DE BAZAN which is curre
Spanish warship Alvaro De Bazan, NATO’s counter-piracy flagship, took part in an air defence training drill in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday (5 March 2014) in order to maintain its readiness to tackle any challenge on the high seas, including deterrance of Somali pirates. French air force fighters
The Royal New Zealand Navy’s frigate HMNZS TE MANA returned this morning to Devonport Naval Base after a seven-month deployment. About 700 family members along with three Seasprite helicopters welcomed TE MANA’s 182 Warriors of the Sea. The ship fired a 17-gun salute as she arrived, replied by a s
During the last week, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta warships FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado have carried out several ‘Friendly Approaches’ in the Gulf of Aden. In addition to patrols in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocea
General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp (GDEB) has received a USD 57.1 mln contract modification for the planning and execution of the USS Minnesota’s (SSN 783) post shakedown availability (PSA). Electric Boat will also procure long lead time material in preparation to accomplish the maintenance, repa
In early March, the warship ITS MIMBELLI, currently deployed in support of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD, wrapped up a port visit to Antisiranana, Madagascar. The purpose of the visit was to pursue the ongoing cooperation with the Malagasy authorities in efforts to eliminate sea pir
On Friday, 7 March 2014, Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group TWO (SNMCMG2) carried out a major damage control exercise near the island of Corfu. The exercise included a focus on basic seamanship exercises, including firefighting, steering gear breakdown, man overboard, medical casualty, speedb
