Defense Strategies
German Navy corvette joins NATO’s SNMG1
German Navy’s K130 Braunschweig corvette FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein is set to leave the Warnemünde navy base on August 31 to join the NATO Standing Maritime Group 1. The 63 sailors that form the ship’s complement will set sail under the command of corvette captain Marco Köster. During their time with
Untouched British WWI minesweeper now protected from looters
Discovered off the Dorset coast, England in 2014 after spending a century undiscovered, a rare steam fishing trawler fitted out as a mine sweeper for the Royal Navy during the First World War has been given special protection by British authorities. On the advice of Historic England, the Department
French Navy’s newest FREMM frigate begins lengthy deployment
FS Languedoc, French Navy’s newest FREMM frigate delivered to the navy in March 2016, left the Toulon Naval Base on August 12 to begin her long-term deployment. With some 140 sailors on board and an embarked NH90 NFH (NATO frigate helicopter), also referred to as Caïman by the French, the FS Langued
UK government signs £184M deal for F-35B ASRAAM missile
The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with European missile manufacturer MBDA worth around £184 million to equip the Royal Navy’s new supersonic stealth combat aircraft with the ASRAAM air-to-air missile. Designed and manufactured in the UK, ASRAAM is a heat-seeking weapon which will give
US Marines, Navy kick off Bold Alligator in Norfolk
U.S. Marine and Fleet Forces commands (USFF and MARFORCOM) kicked off exercise Bold Alligator 2016 (BA16) in Norfolk on August 15. BA16 is a synthetic, scenario-based simulation exercise designed to train Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2 and 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2d MEB). As part of the
Canada’s only operational submarine returns from North Sea drill
Her Majesty’s Canadian Submarine (HMCS) Windsor arrived at its homeport in Halifax on August 9, returning from the NATO exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2016. The submarine spent little over 50 days underway during her deployment that was initially postponed in June. Windsor had to return to port after it
Finland Navy stages annual national shooting exercise
METU-16, the Finnish Navy’s annual firing exercise, will be held from August 22 to 26 and August 29 to September 2 in the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland, the navy has informed. Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Katanpää-class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missil
Spanish minehunter leaves NATO’s mine countermeasure group
Spanish Navy minehunter ESPS Turia has returned to her home port in Cartagena after a three-month deployment to the the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2). During her with SNMCMG-2, Turia took part in Spanish and Italian Minex exercises and later in exercises Breeze and Sea Shield
Migrant crisis: German minehunter rescues 133 off Tripoli coast
German Navy minehunter FGS Datteln rescued 133 migrants 75 kilometers north-west of Tripoli, Libya on August 1. The ship was initially tasked by the Force Headquarters to neutralize two empty rubber boats. While doing so, the ship’s crew spotted an overcrowded rubber boat in the vicinity. Upon rescu
NATO units boost exercise Sea Breeze in Ukraine
A division of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 and maritime assets from other allied nations joined the U.S.-Ukraine co-hosted international exercise Sea Breeze in the Black Sea from July 27 to 30. Personnel from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine,
FGS Fulda joins NATO’s mine countermeasure group
German Navy minehunter FGS Fulda is scheduled to depart its homeport in Kiel, Germany to join NATO’s standing mine countermeasures group two on Friday, August 5. Manned by the 42 man strong ‘Charlie’ crew, Fulda will spend the next five months with the maritime group under the command of Captain lie
Dutch air defense and command frigate to lead NATO Aegean Sea mission
Dutch Navy’s De Zeven Provincien-class frigate HNLMS De Ruyter will be taking over as flagship of the NATO mission in the Aegean Sea in September 2016. The German Navy said the Dutch ship would take place of the frigate FGS Karlsruhe which is currently at the helm of the Standing NATO Maritime Group
SNMCMG2 completes Black Sea deployment
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) recently completed its third Black Sea deployment under the command of Turkish Navy Captain Ramazan Kesgin. SNMCMG2 started its deployment on July 8 in support of NATO’s assurance measures regarding alliance resolve and commitment to collective de
UK MoD inks about USD 241,3 Mln weapons system contract
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has signed a £183 million contract for a weapons system which will sit on board the Royal Navy’s new next generation Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The Maritime Indirect Fire System (MIFS) will be integrated onto the Type 26 Global Combat Ships, currently being designed by