Operations
EU NAVFOR Flagship NRP Alvares Cabral Continues Supporting WFP
During a recent port visit to Mombasa the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship NRP Álvares Cabral hosted representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP). The port visit in Kenya coincided with a re-supply visit from the WFP Ship MV Caroline Scan which allowed the second
International Naval Reservists Join Forces within Bell Buoy Exercise
Naval reservists from 10 nations, including the UK, descended on New Zealand to practise their response to natural disasters. Exercise Bell Buoy saw the personnel, who form part of Maritime Trade Operations, rehearse how they would ensure merchant and military shipping could aid a country in the eve
British Navy Survey Ship HMS Echo Sets Sail for Uncharted Waters
The Royal Navy survey ship HMS Echo has picked up the baton where sister ship HMS Enterprise left off to begin her second 18-month deployment in three years. The ship sailed from the South West after HMS Enterprise returned to Plymouth from nine months away to spend the next year and a half updating
HMS Clyde Wraps Up Another Series of Operational Sea Training
April saw HMS Clyde successfully complete another period of Falkland Islands Operational Sea Training. The ten days of assessed training, plus the long build up beforehand, consisted of many simulated fires, floods, flying, machinery breakdowns and all that the staff from Flag Officer Sea Training (
EU NAVFOR, Kenyan Navy Forge Bilateral Ties
Between 6th and 10th June, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) flagship NRP Álvares Cabral visited Mombasa, Kenya. During the visit the EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Jorge Novo Palma, visited several Kenyan authorities to discuss co-operation and knowledge sharing in order to enhance maritime secu
UK: Lusty Gears Up for Cougar 13
Portsmouth helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious is being put through her paces as she prepares for her autumn deployment on Exercise Cougar 13. Since May 20 and until June 13 Lusty has been based in Plymouth with Flag Officer Sea Training staff who are preparing the ship’s company for every possible e
Britain’s Brand New Type 45 Destroyer Ready to Operate Safely at Sea
Britain’s brand new Type 45 Destroyer sailed from Portsmouth for the first time to undertake two days of training and assessment under the supervision of staff from Flag Officer Sea Training organisation. It was also the first time she sailed under the White Ensign. For HMS Duncan, this period of tr
FS Nivôse Frigate’s Crew Builds Capacity of Tanzanian Navy
On June 3rd, during a port visit to Dar Es Salaam, French frigate, FS Nivôse organised local maritime capacity building (LMCB) training with the Tanzanian Navy. This training built on the training conducted by FS Guepratte a few days earlier. Twelve members of the Tanzanian Coast Guard were briefed
HMS Dragon Escorts Gigantic LNG Carrier through Strait of Hormuz
HMS Dragon helped shepherd a gigantic gas tanker through one of the world’s most important ‘choke points’ during an exercise to hone protecting sea trade. The Type 45 destroyer joined forces with other Royal Navy and US Navy vessels, escorting the 130,000-tonne tanker through the narrows between the
Babcock Upgrades HMS Penzance’s Operational Capability
Sandown class mine hunter HMS Penzance has left Babcock’s Rosyth dockyard with enhanced operational capability, sustainability and habitability standards, following a successful six month Support Period (Docking) (SP(D)) by Babcock. The support period was completed under the Surface Ship Support All
HMS Bulwark Takes a Short Break, Welcomes Aboard Family Members
Royal Naval families were treated to a day at sea by the grateful crew of the Plymouth-based amphibious ship HMS Bulwark. The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, at high readiness to deploy anywhere in the world at very short notice, took a short break from tasking welcome the families of her ship’s compan
Blas de Lezo Sets Sail for Turkey to Assume Command of SNMG-2
On June 5th Spanish F-100 frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ departed from her home port in Ferrol and headed for Aksaz (Turkey), where she is scheduled to arrive on the 15th to become command ship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) in the Mediterranean. On her way to Aksaz the ‘Blas de Lezo’ will [
UK Navy’s Newest Warship Tests Her Combat Readiness
The Royal Navy’s newest warship sailed from her home port of Portsmouth for the first time on June 7. Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan will spend seven days at sea putting her combat systems to the test and will also undertake general sea training. Duncan is the sixth and last of the Navy’s new Type [&h
Top News of the Week June 3 – June 8, 2013
Russian Navy to Recommission Three Submarines by 2014 Three nuclear submarines of the Russian Navy currently under maintenance will be recommissioned by 2014, a Navy spokesman told journalists. The K-410 Smolensk cruise missile submarine, which is undergoing repairs since 2011, will resume its servi