Defense Strategies
Belgian minehunter BNS Primula wraps up SNMCMG deployment
Helping NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) clear historic ordnance off the coast of France was the final task of the crew of Belgian minehunter BNS Primula before they headed home. From October 20 to November 7, Belgians worked with their colleagues in French waters off the Norman
UAE Navy orders two Gowind corvettes from French Naval Group
The United Arab Emirates Navy has ordered two Gowind corvettes from French shipbuilder Naval Group, French president Emmanuel Macron announced during a press conference in Dubai. Macron’s confirmation comes days after media reports emerged indicating UAE Navy’s interest in the vessels which are turn
NATO establishing Atlantic command to boost mobility
Defense ministers attending NATO’s North Atlantic Council meeting on Wednesday agreed on the creation of a new command for the Atlantic which would ensure better cooperation between Europe and the US and Canada. This command would coordinate the protection of sea lines of communication between Europ
Mauritius welcomes its first EU NAVFOR warship
Spanish Navy warship ESPS Rayo, currently part of the EU mission in Africa, recently became the first EU NAVFOR ship to visit the Republic of Mauritius as she pulled into Port Louis on November 4. During her time in the Mauritius capital, the offshore patrol vessel hosted Ambassador Marjaana Sall, h
EU naval forces off Somalia change command
Warships and other assets deployed to the EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta received a new commander during a ceremony held in Brussels, November 7. Major General Rob Magowan CBE handed over command to Major General Charlie Stickland OBE after 17 months in charge. Over the last 17 months Major General Ma
German frigate FGS Lübeck returning from SNMG2 deployment
German Navy’s Bremen-class frigate FGS Lübeck is on her way home having concluded 700 patrol hours as part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). The ship and her 200 crew are scheduled to enter their homeport of Wilhelmshaven on November 10, after two months of operations in the Aegean Sea. T
USS Carney completes 60-day refit in Spain
US Navy personnel from the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) Detachment Rota, Spain, completed a 60-day surface incremental availability (SIA) on destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64), Oct. 27. “This was the second SIA conducted in Rota, Spain and continues the record of on-time availabil
NATO ships conclude operation Sea Guardian patrol in the Mediterranean
The latest round of Mediterranean Sea patrols carried out by NATO ships as part of operation Sea Guardian concluded on October 30 and saw the participation of four ships and one submarine. Ships from the navies of Bulgaria, Italy, Romania and Turkey, in cooperation with maritime patrol aircraft from
HMS Ocean returns to NATO flagship role after hurricane response
Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Ocean has assumed her role as NATO SNMG2 flagship again after returning from the Caribbean where she contributed to the UK humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operation Ruman. Ocean relieved HMS Diamond – Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer which jumped in for th
Canadian, Danish boarding teams train on HMCS Charlottetown
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown hosted a team of Canadian and Danish boarding parties for a training exercise. Royal Danish Navy’s boarding team from Her Danish Majesty’s Ship (HDMS) Niels Juel joined the Canadian frigate in the Baltic Sea where she is currently part of NATO’s Standin
Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen returns from NATO SNMG1 deployment
The Royal Dutch Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate HNLMS Evertsen has returned to her homeport at naval base Den Helder after a six-month deployment to NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). The air defense and command frigate spent the majority of her deployment in the Baltic Sea patrollin
US Naval Forces Europe-Africa welcome new commander
NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Naples and US Naval Forces Europe-Africa welcome US Navy Admiral James G. Foggo III as their new commander during a ceremony held at the headquarters of JFC Naples, October 20. Foggo assumes command from U.S. Navy Admiral Michelle Howard and comes to Naples from the
SNMG2 ships take part in NATO research center experiments
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 joined NATO’s Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) in La Spezia, Italy, to take part in a series of experiments and trials last week. Royal Navy’s HMS Diamond, Turkish Navy’s TCG Barbaros and Spain’s ESPS Blas de Lezo visited Italy after
Norwegian frigate KNM Otto Sverdrup visits Algeria during operation Sea Guardian
Norwegian Navy frigate and NATO Standing Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) flagship, KNM Otto Sverdrup, wrapped up her four-day visit to the Algerian capital of Algiers on October 19. The frigate arrived to Algiers together with Spanish Navy’s ESPS ESPS Numancia visiting the country as part of NATO operation