One of the key elements of the EU Naval Force’s counter-piracy operation in the waters of the Horn of Africa is the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA). These long-range, capable aircraft conduct aerial patrols over the sea areas where pirates are known to operate and can provide earl
After completing an Operation RESOLUTE deployment in Darwin, HMAS Ballarat commenced a fast transit down the West Coast towards Fleet Base West. Ballarat was in company with HMAS Success as they passed through one of the most important areas on Australia’s long coastline. The North West shelf reso
The two Spanish Navy warships participated in NATO’s operation ‘Ocean Shield’ and EU’s operation ‘Atalanta’ fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia. They have both been relieved by other Spanish Navy ships in the port of Djibouti. The frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ (F-101) has been relieved by her sis
On Saturday 15 March, EU Naval Force French Flagship, FS Siroco, and South Korean destroyer, ROKS Kang Gam Chan met at sea in the Gulf of Aden to conduct a series of maritime exercises. Both warships are currently conducting counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. During the exercises, C
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Rescue Coordination Centre Australia has received satellite imagery of objects which could be related to the debris of the missing Malaysian plane, MH370. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is coordinating the search for the missing Malaysia Airline
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft completed its transition from Kuala Lumpur to Perth March 18 to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. “The search has expanded to the southern portions of the Indian Ocean and the P-8A has the range required t
On Thursday 13 March the EU Naval Force flagship, FS Siroco, rendezvoused at sea in the Gulf of Aden with Hellenic warship, HS Psara, to conduct a replenishment from sea. The meeting was also an opportunity for Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean to visit the crewmembers of the Hellenic Navy frigate, which
Searching a combined 15,000 square miles since March 10th, USS Kidd and its MH-60R helicopters completed their search of the Andaman Sea and have been detached from the MH370 Search and Rescue (SAR) effort as of March 18. No debris or wreckage associated with an aircraft was found. “The dedication
The Royal Australian Navy, working closely the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) under the coordination of Border Protection Command (BPC), has apprehended four foreign fishing vessels with a total of 58 crew approximately 180 nautical miles North West of Darwin. The wooden vessels
HMAS Darwin has seized and destroyed more than three tonnes of cannabis resin with an estimated street value of $137 million dollars. The drugs were found hidden aboard a skiff in the Gulf of Aden on 16 March 2014. HMAS Darwin is currently deployed on patrol under the control of the Combined Marit
After 6 months at sea and over a $1 billion dollars in drug apprehensions, HMAS Melbourne returned to her homeport of Garden Island, Sydney, on March 15th. The crowded wharf of well wishers, which counted among their numbers the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Tony Abbott MP and the Chief of
Two Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion aircraft are continuing to support the Malaysian coordinated search mission for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Chief of the Defence Force General David Hurley said Malaysian authorities coordinating the search had re-tasked an Australian aircraft.
After an intense three weeks of operations, the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Mine Counter Measures and Dive Exercise 2014 (MCMEX14) closed with a traditional ceremonial Beat to Quarters at the Navy Museum in Auckland, New Zealand. The MCMEX14 was hosted by the Royal New Zealand Navy and
A trio of warships recently conducted a patrol of the North West Shelf Oil and Gas Fields as part of the Australian Government’s Border Protection Operations. HMA Ships Success, Ballarat and Toowoomba tested communications, procedures and protocols between Coastwatch, Defence assets and Oil and Gas
