Australian Navy Chief, Vice Admiral Ray Griggs, corrected media reporting in News Corp newspapers on Tuesday, 31 December 2013, according to which Australia’s navy patrol boats are “literally cracking up under the pressure of intercepting the surge in asylum-seeker vessels.” The article also specula
Spanish warship, ESPS Tornado, integrated with the EU Naval Force on counter-piracy operation, dropped anchor in the port of Djibouti on 26 December 2013 to change helicopters, since its Augusta Bell 212 helicopter had become unserviceable and beyond repair. As a result, the Spanish Navy arranged fo
Spanish fleet replenishment ship ‘Cantabria’ has returned to her home port in Ferrol, Spain after spending a year deployed to Australia where she integrated with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The ship has supplied more than 12,000 tons of fuel and sailed 43,200 miles during 215 days at sea. Since
Four Typhoon stabilised weapons systems have been installed onboard NUSHIP Canberra, a Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) under construction for the Royal Australian Navy. The advanced weapons systems, comprising a 25 mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun and a coaxially mounted M240 7.62mm machine gun, will be t
Australian Navy’s ship HMAS Albany was busy at sea during the holiday season performing security operations in Australian waters. The Armidale Class Patrol Boat was on a security patrol off the North West Shelf region, home to oil and gas resource platforms, which are of strategic relevance for Aust
On 23 December, two EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warships, FGS Hessen and ESPS Tornado, conducted a Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) which is a transfer of items from one ship to another by the use of a helicopter. The replenishment took place amid counter-piracy deployment of the warships to the Gulf
U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training, has received a USD 574.5 million procurement contract for the production of the Aegis Weapon System MK 7 equipment sets in support of the DDG 51 Shipbuilding Program and an option for Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System, Host Nati
2013 was one of the busiest years on recent record for the Royal Australian Navy Fleet. During a period of substantial border protection activity, and against a backdrop of international piracy and narcotics trading interdiction in the Middle East and Indian Ocean, the Navy continued to meet its mis
The hull of the second and last of the Royal Australian Navy’s new amphibious ships has departed from Vigo in northern Spain, Australian Defence Minister Senator David Johnston today announced. The Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) hull will be transported to Melbourne, Australia, by the Heavy Lift Ship
During their recent port visit to Dar Es Salaam, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel, ESPS Tornado, conducted training with a team from the Tanzanian Navy. Nineteen members of the Tanzanian Navy were given a briefing on boarding operations, followed by a boarding exercise. The
“The Ukrainian Navy is very much looking forward to joining the European Union Naval Force, which has made a significant contribution in the fight against piracy over the past five years.” On Tuesday 17 December 2013, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, the Force Commander of the European Union’s counter pi
When Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjéan took over the Force Headquarters of the EU Operation Atalanta on Friday 6 December, one of his first actions was to meet with the Force Commanders of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), Commodore Aage Buur Jensen, and NATO’s Operation Ocean Shield, Rear Admiral Eugeni
On Friday morning 13 December 2013, Rear Admiral Hervé Bléjean, who is the EU Force Commander for Operation Atalanta warships conducting counter piracy patrols off the Somali coast, visited Federal German Ship (FGS) Hessen. After being flown on board FGS Hessen by the German warship’s Sea Lynx MK-88
Australian Minister for Finance Mathias Cormann and Minister for Defence Hon David Johnston announced today that they stand firm behind their coalition, adding that they are committed to the efficient delivery of the country’s Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) programme. “Since coming into Government, I
