Operations
Joint Warrior 162 concludes
Allied nations’ warships concluded their participation in the international exercise Joint Warrior 16-2, October 21. The United Kingdom-led and -hosted Joint Warrior series is run by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS) from exercise headquarters aboard Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde i
USS Ronald Reagan sailors step foot in North Korea
The U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), departed Busan, Republic of Korea (ROK), October 21 after a scheduled five-day port visit. Ronald Reagan arrived in Busan Oct. 16 after participating in exercise Invincible Spirit 2016. One of the highlights for Rona
Allies test guns during Joint Warrior
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Monmouth was joined by French FS Primauguet and Spain’s EPS Victoria for two days of naval gun firing at the Cape Wrath range on mainland Britain. 175 rounds crashed down on the Cape Wrath in 15 shoots – high-explosive, practice, star shells – in a coordinated eight
US Coast Guard receives 20th fast response cutter
The U.S. Coast Guard received the 20th fast response cutter (FRC), named after Lawrence Lawson, in Florida, October 20. The Coast Guard said the ship would be the second FRC stationed in Cape May, New Jersey, and is scheduled for commissioning in early 2017. The service also noted that the ship was
USS Nimitz cleared to deploy fighter jets again
Aircraft can once again take off from the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) after the ship earned the flight deck certification while underway in the Pacific Ocean, October 20. The certification proves Nimitz’s flight deck and the sailors who conduct flight operations are capable of saf
US Navy command ship continues Black Sea deployment after departing Romania
U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) took part in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with a ship from the Romanian Navy in the Black Sea as it departed Constanta, Romania, October 20. Mount Whitney participated in a minesweeping exercise with Romanian Navy corvette Admi
Royal Navy frigate starts month-long break in South Africa
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Portland is currently in Simonstown, South Africa, where the crew started their month-long break during a nine-month deployment. After adding 18,000 miles to her odometer in a patrol which has taken the frigate from Plymouth, through the Mediterranean, Suez and Strai
Future US Navy destroyer ‘Rafael Peralta’ completes Alpha trials
The U.S. Navy said its future guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115) successfully completed Alpha trials on October 18, after spending two days underway off the coast of Maine. The trials were conducted by shipbuilder Bath Iron Works (BIW), a subsidiary of General Dynamics. Alpha tria
US, UK minehunters team up for Persian Gulf MCM drills
Minehunters from the US and UK kicked off the mine countermeasures exercise 17-1 in the Persian Gulf with a photographic exercise formation on October 19. The bilateral exercise encompassed the full spectrum of mine countermeasures (MCM) from mine detection and identification to mine clearance with
Czech Gripen fighter jets train with NATO ships
A Czech squadron of Gripen fighter jets have reached the second week of their air-maritime integration and carried out joint missions with Danish, French and Icelandic vessels off Iceland. Currently in charge of providing air interception capabilities for Iceland under NATO, the Czech JAS-39 Gripen
German WWI ‘mystery’ submarine found off Scotland
A WW1 naval mystery might be finally solved after a German U-boat was found off the coast of Wigtownshire, Scotland by engineers who are working on a subsea power cable laying project. Sonar images have revealed what is presumed to be the German UB-85 submarine, which was, according to reports from
Indian Navy commissions fast attack craft INS Tihayu
The Indian Navy commissioned the newest Car Nicobar-class fast attack craft INS Tihayu at the Eastern Naval Command during an October 19 ceremony. The ship was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Vice Admiral HCS Bisht AVSM, chief of Eastern Naval Command at the naval dockyard, Visakhapatnam. INS T
DCNS unveils design of French Navy’s new medium size frigate
In collaboration with the French defence procurement agency (DGA), DCNS has unveiled the French Navy’s new FTI (Fregate de Taille Intermediaire) medium-size frigate design at Euronaval in Paris, France. According to DCNS, the 4,000-tonne front-line frigate will be equipped for anti-submarine warfare
Russian aircraft carrier escorted off Norway en route to Syrian coast
Russian cruiser-carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and other ships from its strike group were escorted off the Norwegian coast as they were sailing towards the Mediterranean. NATO said it deployed ships that were under its command to monitor the presence of Russian warships, noting it was routine procedure i