Operations
US Coast Guard seizes $32.5m of cocaine off Puerto Rico
The U.S. Coast Guard offloaded approximately 1,100 kilograms of cocaine in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday. Worth an estimated $32.5 million dollars wholesale, the cocaine was seized in a May 25 interdiction in waters off the southern coast of Puerto Rico. According to U.S. Coast Guard, three suspe
USS Green Bay completes Bonhomme Richard ARG for Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol
U.S. Navy’s San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Green Bay (LPD 20) departed its forward-deployed base of Sasebo, Japan on June 2, becoming the final ship in the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group to set sail on a routine deployment in the Indo-Asia-Pacific. The amphibious ships, tog
French Navy ships engage Australian, Spanish Navy on their Asia deployment
After concluding amphibious drills with U.S. Marines off Guam recently, French Navy ships FS Mistral and FS Courbet trained with Australian and Spanish Navy ships in Australian waters. The French ships engaged Australian ships Success and Parramatta and the Spanish Navy’s Cristobal Colon in waters t
Another tanker attacked by pirates in Arabian Sea
In the second attack on commercial vessels in just two days, pirates attempted to hijack oil tanker MT NAVIG8 Providence in the Arabian Sea on June 1. The incident, confirmed by EU NAVFOR, took place in the Gulf of Oman as the MT NAVIG8 Providence was sailing 100 nautical miles east of Muscat. Accor
Los Angeles-class submarine visits Singapore
Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Key West (SSN 722) arrived in Singapore on June 1, becoming the latest in a row of U.S. Navy submarines to visit ports in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Prior to USS Key West’s visit to Singapore, the U.S. Navy announced several port calls in Japan and South Kor
USS Nimitz begins 2017 deployment
U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) got underway from Naval Base Kitsap on June 1 to start a regularly scheduled deployment. The aircraft carrier is joined by destroyers USS Kidd (DDG 100) and USS Shoup (DDG 86) who departed Naval Station Everett on the same day. While many speculate the
First F-35 ready aircraft carrier gets underway for flight deck certifications
The U.S. Navy’s first aircraft carrier capable of accommodating fifth-generation F-35C fighter aircraft, the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), departed Naval Station Norfolk to conduct carrier qualifications (CQ) and flight deck certification (FDC) on June 1. The evolutions mark major milestones for Abr
Barbados to host maritime security drill Tradewinds 2017
Barbados will be hosting this year’s edition of the multi-national maritime security and disaster response exercise Tradewinds which is starting June 6. Some 2,500 participants from 18 nations are set to take part in the Caribbean drill. This annual exercise includes executive-level leadership and p
US Navy’s last E-2Cs depart Japan after 44 years
The last of the U.S. Navy’s E-2C Hawkeyes forward-deployed to Japan departed Naval Air Facility (NAF) Atsugi on June 1, marking the end of 44 years of service in Japan. The aircraft from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115 “Liberty Bells” are one of the Navy’s longest-serving forward d
US Coast Guard cutter returns from Caribbean Sea patrol
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence returned from a Caribbean Sea patrol after seizing $2.2 million worth of marijuana and some 375 kilograms of suspected cocaine. USCGC Diligence returned to Wilmington on Wednesday after spending 65 days on patrol. The cutter’s crew was deployed in support of Joint I
US Navy begins dual carrier operations off Korean Peninsula
The U.S. Navy now has two aircraft carriers operating near the Korean Peninsula and they are joined by ships from the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF). Photos released by the U.S. Navy’ 7th Fleet show carrier strike groups centered around aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vin
Another US Navy submarine makes port call in Japan
Another U.S. Navy Los Angeles-class submarine visited Japan after her sister boats previously paid three visits to Asian ports in the last couple of months. USS Olympia (SSN 717) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka May 31 for a visit as part of its deployment to the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The se
Oil tanker attacked in Bab-el-Mandeb strait
Three men in a skiff approached a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the southern Bab-el-Mandeb strait and opened fire on it on May 31, EU NAVFOR has confirmed. The vessel’s master reported that the attackers fired three rocket-propelled grenades, before breaking off the attack. The onboard arme
Australian Navy patrol boat trains with Fiji Navy
Royal Australian Navy patrol boat HMAS Wollongong participated in a four-day exercise with the Republic of Fiji Navy ship Kula during a recent visit to Fiji. Wollongong is on a South West Pacific deployment, which includes visits to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia, as part of the Aust