Nearly 100 years after France and Australia fought side by side on the Somme battlefields, HMAS Newcastle and FS Somme are united in their security efforts in the Middle East Area of Operation (MEAO). The two warships conducted coordinated maritime security operations over a five-day period in the S
Royal Navy of Oman Takes Delivery of First Khareef Class Warship The first warship built by BAE Systems for the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) as part of Project Khareef for the design, build and delivery of three corvettes, has been formally handed over in a ceremony at HM Naval Base Portsmouth today. Fr
The Irish Naval Service vessels L.É EITHNE and L.É NIAMH conducted exercises yesterday off the South Coast of Ireland, as part of a week long fleet assessment, the Irish Defence Forces said in a release. Some of the tasks involved included a scenario-based Maritime Interdiction Operation, which prep
The Finnish Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD), deployed with the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta since March 2013, is tasked with the protection of the World Food Programme (WFP) ship MV Caroline Scan. Embarked on the Caroline scan around the clock, the AVPD ensure
ZNT Yard OJSC laid the keels of four search-and-rescue boats (project 23040) ordered by RF Defense Ministry. In late March, 2013, ZNT Yard OJSC signed a state contract for construction of 16 search-and-rescue boats (project 23040) by the order of RF Defense Ministry. 23040 project boat is a continua
During the past week the NATO Shipping Centre received reports on two incidents involving fishing vessels in the High Risk Area. The first is a report of a pirated fishing vessel, while the second incident appears to be a SOLAS related accident. The first report confirms that pirates continue to dis
Back in 2011, a total of 16 warships, submarines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels supported humanitarian, embargo and combat operations off the coast of Libya, either under NATO’s Operation Unified Protector or the UK’s Operation Ellamy. These included elements of the Royal Navy’s Response Force Ta
The Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Richmond will sail up the River Thames and go alongside at West India Dock today for the start of a five-day visit to the capital. HMS Richmond is affiliated to Richmond-upon-Thames – and also to Richmond in North Yorkshire – and the ship’s commanding officer, Comm
What happens when the Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and Royal Netherlands Navy work together? A $24 million drug bust. The multi-agency seizure of 1,517 pounds of cocaine – estimated to have a wholesale value of more than $24 million – all began with a suspicious go-fast vessel. The cre
HMS Lancaster, one of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates, has paid a visit to Grand Cayman, the largest island in the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands. It was the second British Territory Lancaster has visited as part of her six-month deployment to the North Atlantic and Caribbean. Th
Following the recent departure of HMS Penzance from Babcock’s Rosyth dockyard after a successful upkeep period, Babcock has now started work on Sandown class mine hunter HMS Pembroke, in dock at Rosyth for a similar six month Support Period (Docking) (SP(D)) under the Surface Ship Support Alliance (
HMS Penzance is in the throes of demanding training after completing a six-month revamp in Rosyth. The Faslane-based warship is now Britain’s most up-to-date minehunter following the refit, which prepared her for impending duties with a NATO task group. After six months in refit – four of those out
Survey ship HMS Echo has spent 12 days in Malta on the first stage of her 18-month mission to the Mediterranean and Middle East. The Devonport-based hydrographic vessel will be updating charts used by seafarers the world over, courtesy of her hi-tech sonar suites. It’s just under a year since the De
The tugboat “RB-404” (Building No 623, project 16609) has successfully passed its mooring and sea trials and it is ready for its official trials. The tugboat, being built by Pella shipyard, will be delivered to the Russian Navy and put into operation within Pacific Fleet of the Navy by the end of th
