China will return an underwater drone it ‘stole’ from the USNS Bowditch, a civilian U.S. Navy oceanographic survey ship which was operating in the South China Sea, the Pentagon said on Thursday. “Through direct engagement with Chinese authorities, we have secured an understanding that the Chinese wi
U.S. Navy’s Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) wrapped up its engagement against ISIS in Sirte, Libya and departed the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations on December 16. The Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) requested U.S. air strike support to better enable their aligned forces to liberate S
U.S. Navy’s Bataan amphibious readiness group (ARG) completed its ARG/marine expeditionary unit exercise (ARG/MEUEX) on December 19. During exercises like these, ship crews and defense forces personnel get the opportunity to improve cohesiveness and strategies developed during previous underway peri
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel ESPS Serviola returned to her home port in Ferrol, Spain, after taking part in different cooperation activities in West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea. The cooperative security activities with regional navies are organized by the Spanish Ministry of Defense and t
Home with just seven days to spare before Christmas Day are the sailors and Royal Marines on RFA Mounts Bay which has completed a marathon deployment in the Mediterranean. The amphibious support ship has been away from home for 349 days as one of the first vessels to deploy in 2016… and last to retu
Guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) departed Naval Station Norfolk on December 15th, for a regularly-scheduled deployment to conduct maritime operations in the Navy’s 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation. Cole excelled through a demanding training cycle in preparation for its upcoming mission
Hundreds of happy families and friends welcomed home their loved ones on board HMS Bulwark on December 14th, as the ship returned home from a three-month deployment in time for Christmas. The crew of the Royal Navy’s amphibious flagship HMS Bulwark arrived to a warm welcome fit for heroes after the
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter visited the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) pier side in Bahrain Dec. 10, to thank Sailors for their service during their seven-and-a-half month deployment. Carter announced liberty call for the crew, presented challenge coins to Sailors and had lunch with
Commander of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG) Rear Adm. Jim Malloy visited guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94), Dec. 12. Malloy, embarked aboard aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (Ike), toured the ship, met with the Chiefs Mess and the ship’s officers, and held
The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), part of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG), and the embarked detachment from the Swamp Foxes of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 concluded a multi-day port visit to Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota, Spain, Dec. 11. The port visit com
This week the European Union is marking eight years since it launched its first ever maritime military operation, EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, in response to a surge in armed pirate attacks on merchant ships and other vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Back in 2008, increasingl
Guided-missile submarine USS Florida (SSGN 728) held a change of command ceremony at the chapel at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay on December 12th. Capt. Brett Moyes relieved Capt. Nathan Martin as the Blue crew’s commanding officer. Retired Rear Adm. Douglas McAneny, former commander of Submarine F
French Navy aviso FS Commandant l’Herminier bid farewell to EUNAVFOR’s Mediterranean Sea operation Sophia last weekend. The ship contributed to the prevention of arms and migrant smuggling since she joined the mission on November 12. During her time with the operation, Commandant l’Herminier was inv
German Navy minesweeper FGS Fulda has concluded her deployment to NATO’s standing mine countermeasures group two and is currently on the way back home. Fulda and her crew are set to enter the Kiel navy base on December 16 after four months at sea. Commanded by Captain lieutenant Michael Montag, the
