Funding
Korean Navy destroyer Dae Jo Young joins counter-piracy operation off Somalia
Republic of Korea Navy destroyer ROKS Sea Jo Young has joined the European Union-led counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia. ROKS Dae Jo Young is a Sun-sin class destroyer and was launched in November 2003. Equipped with the latest military and surveillance technology, she is per
German tender ‘Rhein’ returning from Mediterranean operation Sophia
German Navy tender FGS Rhein is returning home after a five-month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and the EU-led migrant crisis operation Sophia. The tender is set to return to her homeport in Kiel on August 28 after spending five months in the Mediterranean where she helped save lives and fight
NATO ships fine tune cooperation with operation Sophia in the Med
NATO ships deployed to operation Sea Guardian spent the larger part of August working with ships from the European Union-led operation Sophia with the aim of improving collaboration in the Mediterranean Sea. The ships worked in the central Mediterranean Sea August 3 through 20 in part to further ref
Spanish auxiliary ship ESPS Cantabria joining EU migrant mission in the Med
The Spanish navy’s auxiliary oiler and replenishment ship ESPS Cantabria (A-15), got underway from Ferrol, Spain, to join operation Sophia – European Union’s migrant mission in the Mediterranean Sea. Operation Sophia started on June 22, 2015 to provide a response to the migratory crisis in the centr
Spanish Aegis frigate returns from three-month Australia stint
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Cristóbal Colón (F-105) returned home to Naval Base Ferrol, Spain, on August 10 after spending three month in Australia where the ship’s crew helped prepare Australian sailors to operate the Aegis combat system. Just the like the future HMAS Hobart, the first of three new a
French Gowind patrol vessel L’Adroit concludes Op Sophia deployment
French Navy Gowind-class patrol vessel FS L’Adroit has concluded a month-long deployment to the Mediterranean Sea where it helped tackle the migrant crisis off the coast of Libya under the EU-led operation Sophia. FS L’Adroit provided support to the operation, contributing to deter the illegal traff
Royal Navy Merlins complete five-month stint aboard FS Mistral
A group of Royal Navy sailors and marines together with two Royal Navy Merlin Mk3 helicopters spent the past five months deployed aboard the French helicopter carrier FS Mistral during its Jeanne D’Arc mission. FS Mistral, together with frigate FS Courbet, embarked Royal Navy personnel in March for
Australian sailors visit US Coast Guard’s ‘ship in a box’ facility in Bahrain
The boarding party of Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle trained with the United States Coast Guard members during the frigate’s first port visit while deployed in the Middle East. Australian personnel completed a five-day course delivered by the Coast Guard at the Naval Support Activity i
Germany deploys frigate to Mediterranean migrant rescue mission
Germany is sending its F123 frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to the Mediterranean Sea and EU’s migrant-rescue operation Sophia. The Brandenburg-class frigate is set to depart the German Willhelmshaven navy base on August 7 to join the mission for the second time. Mecklenburg-Vorpommern previously cont
Naval Group appoints Australia executive director
French shipbuilder Naval Group (former DCNS) has appointed a new executive director to work with the Commonwealth of Australia on the Australian Future Submarine program. Jean-Michel Billig, the Australia executive director joined Naval Group in May 2017 as special advisor to Hervé Guillou, Presiden
New British aircraft carriers unwelcome in South China Sea
Responding to the possibility of new UK aircraft carriers operating in the South China Sea, China’s foreign ministry said the deployment would only “stir up trouble”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang made these remarks after UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson hinted at the possibility of t
Italy takes over command of counter-piracy mission Atalanta
Italian Navy Rear Admiral Fabio Gregori took over command of the EU counter-piracy operation Atalanta from Spanish Navy Rear Admiral Rafael Fernández-Pintado during a ceremony in Djibouti on July 27. EU NAVFOR’s deputy operation commander, Rear-Admiral Alfonso Pérez de Nanclares (Spanish Navy), also
EU extends Mediterranean migrant mission to 2018
The European Union migrant-rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea has been extended and will now run until December 31, 2018. EU leaders reached the agreement on July 25 after Italy curbed its protest against how the migrant crisis was being handled by other member states. The extension was expecte
Belgian frigate concludes Mediterranean migrant mission as scheduled
Belgian Navy frigate BNS Louise Marie concluded her deployment to the EU-led migrant crisis operation in the Mediterranean Sea setting sail home on July 23. The multi-purpose frigate left operation Sophia after the scheduled 34 days of duties, despite calls for the frigate’s earlier withdrawal due t