Operations
USS Momsen visits Subic Bay, Philippines
The U.S. Navy’s guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG 92) arrived in Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines August 8 as part of a U.S. 3rd Fleet Pacific Surface Action Group (PAC SAG). The port call marked Momsen’s midway point as part of the group. Under the operational control of U.S. 3rd Fleet
Royal Navy frigate returns from counter-Daesh deployment
Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans returned to Naval Base Portsmouth today following a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. Hundreds of friends and families lined the Naval Base as the Type 23 frigate returned from the Gulf where she joined the US and French navies in the fight against Daesh. ‘Th
German tanker Spessart departs EU mission off Africa
German Navy’s Rhön-class tanker FGS Spessart has left the EU Naval Force and Operation Atalanta fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia. The ship spent eighty eight days and sailed over 13,600 nautical miles after leaving Wilhelmshaven navy base on April 18. The EU naval task force is deployed to t
US Navy discards aquaflage, introduces green camouflage uniforms
The U.S. Navy announced August 4 that it will transition from the blue aquaflage Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type I to the green camouflage NWU Type III as the service’s primary shore working uniform beginning October 1, 2016. The NWU Type 1 was not a popular uniform as it was described by Sailors as
Lithuania next stop for Japan Navy training squadron
The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force Training Squadron is scheduled to conduct a friendly port visit to Klaipėda on August 8 as Lithuania and Japan mark the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Commanded by Rear Admiral Hidetoshi Iwasaki, the training squadron includes three ships and a crew o
Pakistan assumes command of Combined Maritime Forces’ CTF150
The Pakistan Navy has taken command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) after conducting a handover ceremony with the Royal Navy. Commodore Bilal Abdul Nasir of the Pakistan Navy assumed command of CTF150 from Commodore Guy Robinson of the Royal Navy on August 4 in
Photo: Australian frigate tests missile firing skills at RIMPAC
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has demonstrated its warfighting capability with the successful firing of six missiles during Exercise RIMPAC 2016 in Hawaii. The Anzac-class frigate fired a Harpoon anti-ship missile, three Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles and launched its embarked MH-60R Sea
US Navy patrol ship tests new ‘eye in the sky’ in Arabian Gulf
The U.S. Navy’s coastal patrol ship USS Monsoon tested the capabilities of one of the ships newest assets, the RQ-20A Puma AE (all environment) during a Griffin missile system test that took place in the Arabian Gulf between July 19-25. The Navy says that the small unmanned aircraft system is easily
USS Shamal concludes 4th Fleet patrol with 1,483 kg of cocaine seized
U.S. Navy Cyclone-class patrol coastal ship USS Shamal (PC 13) returned from its third patrol in the U.S 4th Fleet area of operations on August 1. In support of Operation Martillo, Shamal’s third patrol assisted in five joint interdictions, resulting in the seizure or jettison of 1,483 kilograms of
Raytheon receives $523M for SM-3 Block IB interceptors
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency exercised a $523 million contract option with Raytheon to produce, test and deliver 47 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB interceptors for operational testing and deployment. This is the fiscal year 2016 option under the $2,351,177,872 contract for Standard Missiles a
Sunk WWI Royal Navy cruiser examined off Orkney Isles
A secret mission to persuade Tsar Nicholas II of Russia to stay in the First World War failed when Britain’s Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener and over 700 sailors died in the sinking of the warship HMS Hampshire after it hit a mine off the Orkney Isles. 100 years later a Saab Seaeye [&helli
US Navy fighter jet crashes near naval air station
A U.S. Navy F/A-18C Hornet aircraft crashed on Tuesday into an open field near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. No one was hurt during the incident and surrounding structures were not damaged, initial reports say. According to a Navy statement, the Navy pilot managed to eject safely before the plan
Spanish frigate Cristobal Colon returns from combat system trials
Spanish Navy’s F-100 AEGIS-equipped frigate Cristóbal Colón arrived at her home port in Ferrol, Spain on August 2 after a 45-day deployment to North American waters where the ship carried out weapon systems trials. Cristóbal Colón visited the U.S. Naval Base of Norfolk for combat system ship qualifi
Migrant crisis: German minehunter rescues 133 off Tripoli coast
German Navy minehunter FGS Datteln rescued 133 migrants 75 kilometers north-west of Tripoli, Libya on August 1. The ship was initially tasked by the Force Headquarters to neutralize two empty rubber boats. While doing so, the ship’s crew spotted an overcrowded rubber boat in the vicinity. Upon rescu