Defense Strategies
HMS Grimsby Ends NATO’s Mediterranean Mission
After covering 7,300 miles attached to a NATO minehunting force in and around the Mediterranean Sea, the Sandown-class ship HMS Grimsby has parted company with her Allied friends. The ship has spent the autumn with NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2, working under the Italians with vessels
CTF-150 Commander Visits US Naval Forces Europe-Africa
The incoming Commander of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) maritime security and counter-terrorism task force, Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), conducted successful staff talks with the US Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) Command in Naples, Italy, on 1 December 2014. During the visit, C
UK to Establish Permanent Naval Base in the Middle East
Royal Navy’s vessels will soon have its first permanent naval base in the Middle East since UK formally withdrew from Bahrain and Sharjah in 1971. In the margins of the 10th IISS Manama Dialogue, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond signed a new defence arrangement with His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin
US Increases Presence at Rota Naval Base
The US is increasing its military presence in Europe by adding two more ballistic missile ships to its Rota Naval Base in Spain. These are the first American ships home-ported here since Polaris-missile submarines left in the 1970s, U.S. base officials said. Guarding Against Missile Attack, Pirates
DSACEUR Pays Visit to NATO Allied Maritime Command
The Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, KCB OBE, visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to meet with Commander MARCOM Vice Admiral Peter Hudson, CBE, and discuss relevant developments in the maritime domain with the MARCOM command staff. Discussion a
QinetiQ to Undertake Acceptance Trials for UK Navy’s Artful Sub
QinetiQ has secured a contract to provide support for the testing and acceptance trials for Artful, the third and latest Astute-class nuclear-powered submarine of the Royal Navy. QinetiQ will support four separate work packages addressing a variety of trials to support Acoustic, Magnetic signatures,
Ireland Orders OSI’s Software for Its Warships
Irish Naval Service has contracted OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) for the delivery of warship navigation systems, including OSI’s flagship ECPINS-W (Warship) software. Under the terms of this contract, OSI will provide engineering services, ship systems, operator training systems, and installation servi
USS Vicksburg Deploys on NATO Mission
Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) departed Naval Station Mayport Dec. 4 to relieve USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) later this month as the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 flagship and to support theater security cooperation efforts in Europe. The crew recently participated in Join
New Zealand MPA Departs NATO’s OCEAN SHIELD
This week the crew of a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) P-3 Orion from the Royal New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) completed their support to NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD (OOS) Task Force 508 (CTF-508). Between 13 and 30 November, the NATO partner nation’s detachment of more than 50 cr
Reina Sofía Returns from NATO’s Active Endeavour
The Spanish Navy’s frigate “Reina Sofía” has completed its participation in NATO’s counter-terrorist operation “Active Endeavour” in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel departed the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG-2) after participating in the operation for a month and a half and returned to its Ro
Preparations Continue for Phoenix Express 2015
Maritime professionals from North Africa, Europe and the U.S. started another round of planning for Phoenix Express 2015 at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center in Souda Bay, Greece, Dec. 2. The four-day planning event, the second of three before exercise execution in spring 20
ROK’s Director General for International Policy Tours MARCOM
The Republic of Korea’s Director General for International Policy, the Honorable Jeong Kyu Lee, led a delegation of officials visiting NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to meet with MARCOM Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio and discuss issues of shared importance and opportunities for coo
SNMG2 Vessels Pay Visit to Piraeus, Greece
Three ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) arrived in Piraeus Nov. 26, for a scheduled port visit during the Group’s deployment to the Mediterranean to enhance maritime security and readiness, and in support of NATO’s counter-terrorism Operation Active Endeavour (OAE). During t
UK to Move Trafalgar Submarines to Clyde
Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has confirmed that two Trafalgar Class submarines will move from Devonport to Clyde. Two Trafalgar Class submarines will move from Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde in another step towards HMNB Clyde becoming the Royal Navy’s submar