U.S. Navy’s Weapons division performed a live-fire test of the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA missile, a 21-inch diameter Standard Missile variant cooperatively developed by the United States and Japan for use with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program, on December 8. This is the second such tes
The German frigate FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern collided with the container ship Nordic Bremen in Kiel Canal, Germany on December 9. The collision took place near Rendsburg in the 98-kilometer-long Kiel Canal in bad weather conditions around 4 am. According to German Navy, no one was injured in the ac
Improved weather conditions in the Central Mediterranean Sea have led more migrants to embark on the dangerous voyage towards European coasts. In order to avoid the further loss of life at sea, operation Sophia vessels saved 374 migrants in the last couple of days. According to EUNAVFOR Med’s press
Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships Brandon and Whitehorse recently concluded their participation in Operation Caribbe 2015, a Canadian organized operation aimed at contributing to the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Since leaving their home port of Canadian
Royal Navy amphibious assault ship, HMS Bulwark, has returned to Plymouth from operations in the Mediterranean after leading a major Royal Navy deployment. The Plymouth-based ship was leading this year’s exercise Cougar comprising exercises with the French Navy off Corsica and then Exercise Trident
The U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) participated in a bilateral passing exercise (PASSEX) with ships from the Romanian, Turkish and Ukrainian Navies, Dec. 6. The PASSEX was conducted in order to improve maritime capabilities between the U.S. and Black Sea n
German Bundestag authorized the deployment of German troops and units against ISIS in Syria on December 4, 2015. The German Navy will support the French group assembled around the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle. The frigate FGS Augsburg will be sent to aid the aircraft carrier’s operat
A combined US/UK task group recently finished a Mine Countermeasure (MCM) exercise in the Persian Gulf. The scenario for the exercise was to clear ports of mines thereby allowing civilian vessels to pass through. The task group was commanded by Commander Paul Ottewell, Royal Navy, and made up of US
The Australian Survey Motor Launches, HMA Ships Benalla and Shepparton, arrived in Papua New Guinea on December 3 to conduct survey operations in the vicinity of Long Reef, in order to provide alternate routes for shipping through the area. Hydrographic Survey Ship, HMAS Leeuwin (HS Red Crew), had b
The U.S. aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman sailed into the Croatian port in Split December 5. The carrier strike group left their homeport in Norfolk, USA on November 16 to join the U.S. 6h fleet area of operations. The ship is scheduled to stay in Croatia until December 9. On December 6, the aircraf
Australian HMAS Melbourne seized 151 kilograms of heroin worth an estimated $AUD44.5 ($32.6) million from a fishing dhow off the east coast of Africa November 30. HMAS Melbourne’s Commanding Officer Commander Bill Waters said the ship’s crew boarded a suspicious fishing vessel following surveillance
Russian Navy ships, submarines, units and formations of the Northern, Pacific Ocean, Black Sea and Baltic Fleet met the new training year which started on December 1, with around 70 ships in service. According to the Russian Navy Main Command, special attention will be paid to the training of inters
The Royal Navy’s upgraded submarine-hunting and maritime patrol helicopter will be contributing to the fight against piracy and terrorism on the high seas this winter. Tried and tested in European waters over the past couple of years – including a large-scale anti-submarine exercise in the Atlantic
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) held a change of command ceremony at the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet headquarters U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan on November 30. Commander Justin L. Harts relieved Commander Michele M. Day as the ship’s commanding officer
