NATO’s Standing Maritime Group changed command in a ceremony in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 30. Commodore Mike Utley OBE formally handed over command of the SNMG2 to his Dutch counterpart Commodore Boudewijn G.F.M. Boots. This marked the end of a yearlong UK commitment leading SNMG2. Rear Admiral Jame
US Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) returned to its homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam on June 29. Oklahoma City is returning from a four-month deployment to Indo-Pacific, where the crew executed the Chief of Naval Operations’ Maritime Strategy, supporting national se
A new training and capability center at HMAS Stirling and Henderson which will support the Australian Navy’s new SEA 5000 frigates – to be built by BAE Systems – will benefit from an AU$670 million investment, the Australian government has announced. To be known as ‘Ship Zero’, the center will trans
After concluding international exercise Tradewinds 2018, Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Mounts Bay is touring British territories in the Caribbean region to help them prepare for this year’s storm season. The 2017 storm season was among the worst in recent memory with a succession of hurricanes batterin
The Croatian Navy is preparing to deploy one of its vessels to NATO’s Mediterranean Sea operation Sea Guardian this year. While Croatian Navy vessels took part in NATO drills in the past, including Trident Juncture in 2015, the announced deployment would be the first time for a Croatian Navy vessel
The navies of India and Bangladesh kicked off their first ever coordinated patrol (IN-BN CORPAT) from the Bangladesh port city of Chittagong on June 25. The Indian Navy sent frigate INS Satpura and corvette INS Kadmatt to take part in the patrol. Bangladesh contributed frigate Abu Bakr and corvette
The US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. John Richardson has visited Norway and the UK to strengthen maritime partnerships and international relationships. While in Norway from June. 24 to 26, Richardson was hosted by his counterpart, Chief of the Royal Norwegian Navy Rear Adm. Nils Andreas Stens
The US State Department has approved a potential sale of five Aegis shipsets for the Spanish Navy’s new F-110 frigates. A contract for the construction of five frigates is expected to be awarded this year and Navantia is already working on some elements of the ships’ systems and design. The potentia
Three Italian Navy warships, with 85 years of service between them, embarked on their final “deployment” before they bow out of active navy service in a ceremony scheduled for July 16. Aside from the task of training navy cadets, the deployment will be more of a tour of Tyrrhenian Sea port cities, a
NATO’s second annual anti-submarine warfare exercise Dynamic Mongoose kicked off on Monday off the coast of Norway. The Norway-hosted Norwegian Sea exercise follows its Mediterranean counterpart – Dynamic Manta – which took place off Italy in March. Dynamic Mongoose will be taking place from June 25
Royal Navy’s Type 23 HMS Montrose escorted two Russian warships through the English Channel as they transited towards the Mediterranean Sea. The Plymouth-based frigate sailed up the Channel to meet with corvettes RFS Boikiy and Stoikiy as the Russian vessels sortied from their base in the Baltic and
Fleet commanders from the US and Canada met in Halifax from June 19 to 21 for tri-party talks on future maritime operations between their forces. In addition to talks, US Fleet Forces (USFF) Command and the US Coast Guard joined Canadian Armed Forces’ Joint Task Force Atlantic for the 2018 Frontier
The Italian Navy’s LSS logistic support ship Vulcano was launched in a June 22 ceremony at Fincantieri’s Muggiano (La Spezia) shipyard. The ceremony was attended by Italian Minister of Defence, Elisabetta Trenta, the Chief of Defense, General Claudio Graziano, and the Chief of the Navy, Admiral Valt
The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is to receive three icebreakers to support its operations during the upcoming icebreaking season. As explained, the ships would provide interim capability for the coast guard, while replacement vessels are being built under the National Shipbuilding Strategy. Specifica
