For the first time since 2012, Somali pirates hijacked a tanker on March 13 off the coast of Somalia, the EU Naval Force counter-piracy operation has confirmed. The authorities said they received positive confirmation from the master of the Comoros-flagged tanker, Aris 13, that his ship and crew are
U.S. Navy destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) seized 270 kilograms of heroin from a small stateless dhow in the international waters of the Arabian Sea March 13. The dhow was intercepted after having been tracked by a helicopter from the Royal Navy’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Victoria. Both Laboon
The crew of the U.S Navy’s third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) celebrated the ship’s 35th commissioning ceremony on March 13 during a regularly-scheduled Western Pacific deployment. Capt. Eric Anduze, Carl Vinson’s executive officer, announced the cake cutting ceremony via a
Royal Navy warships in Plymouth hosted some 270 international students from the UK’s military leadership college for an insight into the professionalism of the senior service. A two-day dynamic demonstration of the Royal Navy’s capability was staged off the South West coast by warships HMS Dragon (P
Japan is sending its 24,000-ton helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183) on a three-month deployment to the South China Sea, Reuters said in a report on Monday. During its mission, the helicopter carrier will visit Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Sri Lanka before joining the annual Malabar na
Having wrapped up her participation in the Australian Navy exercise Ocean Explorer on March 5, Italian Navy FREMM frigate ITS Carabiniere headed for Jakarta, Indonesia as part of her deployment to the Asia-Pacific region. The Carlo Bergamini-class frigate arrived in Jakarta on March 9 and hosted the
U.S. Coast Guard cutter Spencer returned to their homeport in Boston, on Monday following a 74-day counter-drug patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. During their patrol, the crew interdicted four drug-laden vessels, resulting in the seizure of approximately 1,400 kilograms (3,080 lbs.) of cocaine wo
Royal Australian Navy’s fleet replenishment tanker HMAS Sirius is preparing to return to the fleet following a four-month maintenance period at Captain Graving Dock, Garden Island. The ship recently sailed out of Sydney Harbour and into the Pacific Ocean for sea trials. She will return to Sydney bri
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth made a port call in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar on the first mission stop of her nine-month deployment to the Middle East. Accompanied by HMS Sabre and Scimitar from the RN Gibraltar Squadron, and with her Wildcat airborne to scour the skies,
The U.S. Navy carrier strike group attached to the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson (CVN 70) took part in an at-sea exercise with ships from the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in the East China Sea. The U.S. Navy and JMSDF operated together form March 7 to 10 to increase proficiency in basic
French Navy’s D’Estienne d’Orves-class aviso FS Commandant Birot replaced its sister ship FS Commandant Bouan in the EUNAVFOR-led operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea on March 10. FS Commandant Bouan earlier took over from FS Commandant Ducuing and served the counter smuggling mission from Febr
Royal Navy frigate HMS Portland returned home to Plymouth on Friday concluding her nine-month deployment. HMS Portland was welcomed to HM Naval Base Devonport by a crowd of family and friends while 42 lucky family members got an insight into life at sea by sailing as special guests on board from Por
With the decommissioning of Royal Navy Lynx helicopters set for March 31, 2017, the last Lynx to deploy – Flight 208 – returned home together with HMS Portland on March 10. Commander (Cdr) Phil Richardson the Commanding Officer of 815 Naval Air Station welcomed 208 Flight back into the fold amongst
South African defense contractor Denel has teamed up with German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems for joint work on South African Navy frigates and submarines. The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on board the SAS Amatola, in Rostock, Germany, during the frigate’s deployment to European
