Defence force personnel from Australia are in China for Exercise Cooperation Spirit 2014 which begins today. The exercise aims to enhance coordination and cooperation between Australia, China and New Zealand in responding to unforeseen disasters that occur in the Asia-Pacific. This year the exercise
As the sun slipped below the horizon, the Australian White Ensign was lowered for the final time on Navy’s three remaining Landing Craft Heavy (LCH). Past and present crew from HMA Ships Brunei, Labuan and Tarakan watched from the HMAS Cairns quarterdeck as the ships were decommissioned after almost
Australian Defence Force vessels and aircraft have completed monitoring a Russian Surface Task Group that was operating in the Coral Sea to Australia’s north. The Russian ships did not enter Australian territorial waters and have now departed the Coral Sea. The flotilla included Russian Federation S
HMAS Toowoomba has intercepted a vessel carrying approximately 388 kilograms of heroin in international waters off the east coast of Africa. The drug seizure on 17 November 2014 was part of a determined multi-national campaign to disrupt drug smuggling in the Indian Ocean, profits from which provide
EU Naval Force Dutch frigate, HNLMS Van Speijk, has escorted a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel along the Somali coast to keep it safe from a potential pirate attack. The WFP ship was carrying food such as soya, cooking oil and flour from Mombasa in Kenya to the Somali port of Kismayo. The food wil
Lockheed Martin, Mission Systems and Training, is being awarded a $15,5 million modification to previously awarded contract to incrementally fund the Aegis Platform Systems Engineering Agent (PSEA) activities and Aegis Modernization Advanced Capability Build (ACB) engineering. The Aegis PSEA manages
Earlier today the Chief of the German Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Andreas Krause, visited the EU Naval Force Operational Headquarters in Northwood, London. The visit was an opportunity for Vice Admiral Krause to be given an update on Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy operation of
Naval forces rescued more than 1,500 North African migrants over the weekend in the Strait of Sicily, according to the Italian Navy. The Portuguese Navy’s Offshore patrol vessel Viana do Castelo conducted its first rescue operations as part of the EU Operation Triton, which was launched on November
On Sunday 9 November the Spanish Ambassador to Oman, His Excellency Mr Juan José Urtasun, paid a visit to ESPS Navarra during her port visit to Muscat, Oman. Port visits such as this are an opportunity to resupply the Spanish warship with food and stores, and give the crew the opportunity to take so
Seven Royal Australian Navy members left Australia this week to embed with the Combined Maritime Force’s Canadian led Combined Task Force 150 (CTF150) in the Middle East. From December 2014 to April 2015, the Navy team will work in CTF150 to deter, disrupt and defeat international terrorist organisa
On Saturday 15 November the EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, visited the Serbian maritime protection team that is currently embarked in a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel. The protection team, known as an Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment, or AVPD, is tasked, as part of the EU Na
Spanish Navy’s Meteoro class Offshore patrol vessel Rayo P42 waved goodbye to its Las Palmas Naval Base yesterday morning. The vessel started its journey to the Indian Ocean where it will participate in EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta, joining a fight against piracy off the Horn of Africa. This is Ra
After over six months away from their homeport of Fleet Base East, the crew of HMAS Anzac has returned home with an upgraded ship that brings new capabilities to the Royal Australian Navy. Commanding Officer, Commander Matthew Doornbos, and his crew departed Sydney, on 23 January, in Anzac’s sister
One of Operation Atalanta’s objectives is to develop a greater understanding of the way of life of fishermen and other seafarers who sail in the Gulf of Aden. As a result, EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria was recently tasked to meet local fishermen, who, until two years ago, lived with the
