On Sunday 11 January during one of her counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, sighted several fishing vessels. In order to develop a greater understanding of the pattern of life of local seafarers and any concerns they may have about piracy, the Spanish Navy w
On Friday, 9th January 2015, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, successfully conducted a Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) with United States supply ship USNS Charles Drew in the Gulf of Aden. Task Force 53, to which the US ship is attached, provides regular replenishment support to the EU Naval Force’s co
Australian Navy ships and personnel were on duty across the region and the globe this festive season, no different to every other day of the year. Able Seaman Electronics Technician Ned Orchard, of Sanctuary Point, NSW, was at sea protecting Australia’s borders as part of Operation RESOLUTE. Able Se
The Australian Greens spokesperson for Fisheries, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson, says that New Zealand’s efforts in recent days to use its Navy to round up illegal toothfish poachers in the Southern Ocean shows how pitiful the Australian government’s efforts have been. Senator Whish-Wilson said, “We ha
Staff and cadets from Australian Navy Cadet units Australia, Hawkesbury and Sirius joined HMAS Melbourne in December for a day of fun and education about life at sea. The aim of the day was to provide an experience of a warship environment and let the cadets participate in activities to give insight
During a recent port visit to The Seychelles, the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, conducted a counter-piracy exercise called ‘Exchange 2015’ with members of the Seychelles Coast Guard and Maritime Police. The exercise was planned and coordinated with staff from EUCAP Nestor. One of the ma
NUSQN 725 concluded its flying operations at Naval Air Station Jacksonville with a final flight of the Royal Australian Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk on 4th December. Departing from Naval Air Station – Jacksonville, it was fitting that Lieutenant Commander Dan Ashbolt, Aircraft Captain, and Leuitenant Karl
It’s said that a ship is only as strong as its crew: skills, experience and proficiency are critical for all ranks and sea trades and for the operational excellence of a navy as a whole. When the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) was anticipating limited at-sea experience for some sailors as the Halifax-cla
Royal Australian Navy staff from the Combined Maritime Forces counter-terrorism task force, Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150), did not let the festive season interrupt their important work in Bahrain after taking over the Task Force in early December. As an agile task force bolstered by internationa
EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Rayo provided much-needed medical assistance during a ‘friendly approach’ to local Yemeni seafarers during counter-piracy operations in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). This was the sixth friendly approach that ESPS Rayo has achieved since joining
A new EU anti-piracy mission will soon commence in the Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast. The Swedish Navy will contribute by assisting in escorting World Food Programme vessels to Somalia, as well as other vessels in need of protection. This will be the fourth initiative since 2009. The mission
Austal launched the sixth in-series Cape Class Patrol Boat (CCPB) at the company’s Australian Defence Facility in Henderson, Western Australia, today. The launch of Cape Leveque marks the third year in a row a CCPB has been launched in the first week of January; preceded by Cape St George (CCPB01) i
During their recent port visit to Djibouti, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Rayo, welcomed the Spanish Chief of Defence Staff, General Admiral Fernando García Sánchez, on board. General Admiral García Sánchez was accompanied by several military officials, including the Fleet Admiral and Joint Operation
The Australian Coalition Government continues its commitment to increasing investment in Australian defence infrastructure. According to a report by Hon Kevin Andrews MP, Minister for Defence, reports of massive job losses in the industry are speculative. Over the last six years, defence spending dr
