Operations
UK: Defence Secretary, His French Counterpart Witness Joint Military Exercise
The Defence Secretary and his French counterpart on Friday witnessed first hand a major naval exercise in the Mediterranean aimed at further developing the joint capability of the UK and French forces. Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond and French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian witne
EU NAVFOR Force Commander Visits Spanish Warship ESPS Rampago
On 27 October EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Rear Admiral Enrico Credendino, visited Spanish warship ESPS Relampago, which is operating as part of the European Union Naval Force deployed off the Horn of Africa and Gulf of Aden in counter-piracy operation – Atalanta. The Force Commander and members of hi
Russia: Admiralteyskie Verfi Shipyard to Hold Launching Ceremony of Rescue Ship Igor Belousov
Launching ceremony of seagoing rescue ship Igor Belousov will take place at Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard (St. Petersburg) on Oct 30, 2012… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy, October 29, 2012; Image: Black Sea Fleet
Landing Ship Novocherkassk Visits Greek Port Piraeus
When staying at Greek port Piraeus, crew of Black Sea Fleet (BSF) landing ship Novocherkassk replenished fuel and water supplies… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy,October 28, 2012; Image: Flot
France: Thales Sonars Pass Qualification Sea Trials for FREMM Frigate Programme
The official qualification trials of the sonars for the FREMM frigate programme took place over a six-week period in June and July 2012 on the FREMM frigate Aquitaine in the Bay of Biscay. The successful trials are the culmination of nine months of testing with the UMS 4110 CL bow-mounted sonar and
UK: RMR Gets Rare Honour in Guarding Edinburgh Castle
The Royal Marines Reserve (RMR) was given a rare honour recently when they formed the Guard at Edinburgh Castle, in full view of the hundreds of visitors at the Esplanade into the castle itself. The Marines, from RMR Scotland, were resplendent in their dark No.1 uniforms, white gloves and white peak
UK: Maritime Medics Tested on Exercise Corsican Lion
HMS Illustrious, the UK’s high readiness helicopter and commando carrier, has been joined by sixteen doctors and specialist nurses and a biomedical scientist to validate the UK’s ‘role two afloat’medical capability. Participating in Exercise Corsican Lion, a UK-French maritime exercise taking place
Raytheon Company to Deliver Five Phalanax CIWS to UK’s MoD
Raytheon Company signed a contract for 42.8 million pounds to deliver five Phalanx Block 1B Close-In Weapon Systems to the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence starting in 2013. Installation and in-service support will be provided by Babcock Marine. “Phalanx provides unparalleled ship self-defense t
FGS Sachsen Saves Iranian Dhow from Suspected Pirates
On Saturday, 20 October 2012, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) German frigate FGS Sachsen located a dhow after receiving a distress signal, saved 20 Iranian sailors and detained seven suspected pirates. The German frigate received a distress call on Friday, 19 October 2012, from the fishing vessel and
British and French Naval Forces Join in Mediterranean
British and French naval forces have met up in the Mediterranean for the first time today – kicking off the start of a joint amphibious and carrier strike exercise called Corsican Lion. More than 3000 British sailors, marines and airmen onboard HMS Bulwark, HMS Illustrious, HMS Montrose, HMS Northum
UK: Pirate-Busters Prepare for Possible Surge in Activity
The Navy’s counter-piracy experts have reinforced their warning to seafarers to beware the scourge of modern-day buccaneers in the Indian Ocean. With the monsoon season drawing to a close, attacks by ‘pirate action groups’ trying to hijack merchant shipping off the Horn of Africa are expected to inc
ESPS Relampago Trains Djibouti Coastguard
On the 16 October 2012, the Spanish warship ESPS Relampago, operating as part of the EU Naval Force, hosted a team from the Djiboutian Coastguard. The aim of the visit was to train the coastguards in fire fighting and ship damage control techniques. The team of 10 were welcomed on board ESPS Relampa
BSF Destroyer Smetlivy Heads for Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea Fleet (BSF) destroyer Smetlivy on Oct 18 left Sevastopol for the Mediterranean Sea to participate in the IONIEX-2012 joint… [mappress] Source: Russian Navy, October 22, 2012; Image: Mil
FGS Sachsen Saves Iranian Dhow from Suspected Pirates
On Saturday, 20 October 2012, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) German frigate FGS Sachsen located a suspicious dhow and detained seven suspected pirates. The German frigate was tasked on Friday, 19 October 2012, to locate an Iranian dhow as reports indicated the vessel to be in the hand of pirates. On