Operations
USNS Trenton begins first operational deployment
The U.S. Military Sealift Command’s expeditionary fast transport ship, USNS Trenton (EPF 5) departed the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story on December 20 to begin its first operational deployment. The Spearhead-class vessel, built by Austal in Alabama, was launched in September 2014 a
US Navy attack submarine on liberty port visit in Japan
U.S. Navy’s Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Alexandria (SSN 757) docked at the Fleet Activities Sasebo, Japan on December 22. The port visit is part of its Indo-Asia-Pacific patrol. “Alexandria departed the shipyard in Portsmouth, New Hampshire a little over one year ago,” said Cmdr. Todd San
USS George H.W. Bush completes COMPTUEX
Sailors aboard the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush came one step closer to deployment by completing their composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) on December 21. The 3-week-long assessment tested the ship’s ability to collaborate with other ships in the strike grou
South African, UK navies to commemorate 100th anniversary of SS Mendi sinking
The Royal and South African Navies will gather in February next year to commemorate the sinking of South African troopship SS Mendi. After it was rammed in fog off the Isle of Wight on February 21 1917, SS Mendi took 616 South Africans down with her. To mark the 100th anniversary of the tragedy, the
Captain James Kirk is no longer the commander of US Navy’s ‘super-stealth’ destroyer
Both James T. Kirk and James A. Kirk were commanders of a super-advanced ‘ship’. The former was at the helm of starship USS Enterprise while the latter commanded the U.S. Navy most modern destroyer, the USS Zumwalt. During a change of command ceremony in San Diego, California, Capt. James A. Kirk wa
China returns seized US Navy underwater glider
Pentagon’s press secretary confirmed that the People’s Liberation Army-Navy returned the U.S. Navy’s glider unmanned underwater vehicle near the location where it had been unlawfully seized on December 15. Chinese Navy vessel 510 returned returned the glider to USS Mustin (DDG 89) in international w
USS George Washington prepares for four-year break after 25 years of service
U.S. Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is preparing to take an extended 40-plus-month break for its Refueling Complex Overhaul (RCOH) maintenance period after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout the first 25 years of an aircraft carrier’s life, it goes through
HMCS St. John’s picked as next Canadian ship to deploy to NATO’s SNMG2
The Royal Canadian Navy has selected Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s as the next RCN ship to deploy on NATO’s operation Reassurance in early 2017. The frigate will support the standing NATO maritime group 2 (SNMG 2) in the Mediterranean Sea contributing to regional security and stability. HMCS
US Navy, Coast Guard wrap up joint fisheries patrol in Oceania
The U.S. Coast Guard joined the navy for two months of fisheries and law enforcement patrols in the Central and South Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative. The mission was concluded on Wednesday, December 14. A Coast Guard law enforcement detachment embarked USS Sampson (DDG 102) a
German F123 frigate returns from operation Sophia
FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, German Navy’s F123 frigate, is set to return from its Mediterranean Sea deployment on Friday, December 23. The frigate was part of the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia which is aimed at curbing migrant and weapon smuggling activities in the Mediterranean Sea. Mecklenburg-Vor
Pentagon: China will return underwater drone ‘stolen’ in South China Sea
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
USS Wasp amphibious ready group concludes ISIS strikes in Sirte
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
Bataan ARG completes amphibious drill
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 OPV returns from West African deployment
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