Operations
UK Armed Guards Look Vulnerable To Emerging Nations’ Prices
As regulation slowly and painfully filters down the private maritime security industry, a “proliferation” of new firms from emerging countries is inevitable and British PMSCs will price themselves out of the market, according to Norton Rose partner Philip Roche. The big question, Mr Roche said, is w
HMS Westminster Intercepts Suspicious Dhow in Indian Ocean
£14m of drugs used to fund terrorist activity will never reach their destination thanks to a major bust by HMS Westminster. The Portsmouth-based warship intercepted a suspicious dhow in the Indian Ocean, seizing over 70 bales containing more than 180kg of pure heroin. The Portsmouth-based frigate po
German-Owned Freighter Loaded with Military Equipment, Ammunition Stops Near Syria
A German-owned freighter loaded with military equipment and ammunition heading to Syria, was stopped on Friday 50 kilometres (31 miles) away from the Syrian port Tartus, a German Magazine Der Spiegel reports. The ship “Atlantic Cruiser”, leased to a Ukrainian company, White Whale Shipping, was inter
RRS Ernest Shackleton Assists Brazilian Navy Vessel
Early on Easter Sunday morning (8th April), British Antarctic Survey ship RRS Ernest Shackleton was alerted to assist a Brazilian navy vessel Ary Rongel from thick pack ice in the north eastern end of Bransfield Straits near the South Shetland Islands on the Antarctic Peninsula. The Ary Rongel — an
France Tests Ship Defense with U.S. Navy’s SSST
As part of a foreign military sales case, the U.S. Navy worked together with French military to execute France’s first aerial-target live-fire event using a GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST), or missile, on April 4. France’s military procurement agency Direction Generale Pour L’A
Royal Naval Reservist Returns from Six-Month Deployment Fighting Piracy off Coast of Somalia
Royal Naval Reservist Lieutenant Mark Bannister, 35, has recently returned from a six-month deployment fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia. The Business Development Manager from Burnham swapped his civilian life to work for the European Union Naval Force in Djibouti, north east Africa. Mark sai
UK: Naval Forces Converge on Scotland for Joint Warrior Exercise
Warships from across the globe – including a dozen Royal Navy warships, submarines and auxiliaries – are converging on Scotland for the largest military exercise staged in home waters in many years. Thirty two naval units, plus soldiers and air forces – some 8,000 personnel in all from eight nations
Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard Intercepts Stash of 91 Kilos of Drugs
On 4 April, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard intercepted a stash of 91 kilos of drugs near Curaçao. Earlier, on 20 March, 500 kilograms of cocaine had been found on a so-called go-fast boat in the international waters of the Caribbean Sea. These seizures were made during an operation led by the Royal
HNLMS Van Amstel Officially Starts Counterpiracy Mission
After passing through the Suez Canal on 1 April, the multipurpose frigate HNLMS Van Amstel officially began its participation in EU Operation Atalanta. The Van Amstel will contribute to the mission against pirates operating off the coast of East Africa up to the end of May 2012.Operation Atalanta is
Dutch Ships to Track Pirate Camps on Somali Coast?
Pirate camps on the Somali coast may now also be tackled from Dutch ships. The Dutch Government approved the expansion of the Atalanta counterpiracy mission and informed the House of Representatives of the decision on 6 April. However, military personnel will not set foot on land for the purposes of
J+S Shows Interests in Middle East Market
Following their successful entry into the Far East market in 2011 Barnstaple based engineering firm J+S Ltd have been making inroads into the Middle East. The company have just returned from exhibiting at the 2012 Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) at the Qatar Na
Royal Netherlands Navy Receives OPV
On Wednesday 11 April, in Harlingen the third of four Holland Class Oceangoing Patrol Vessels, “Friesland” built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding for the Royal Netherlands Navy, was transferred to the Defence Materiel Organization of the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands. After delivery the
Qatar: HMS Daring Attends DIMDEX
HMS Daring has flown the flag for the Royal Navy – and UK industry – at the biggest naval showcase in the Middle East. Britain’s most advanced warship, on her maiden deployment, was joined by minehunter HMS Quorn in Qatar at the Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference. HMS Dari
Royal Norwegian Navy Purchases Four Additional REMUS 100 Systems
Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and the leading manufacturer of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), announced that the Royal Norwegian Navy (RNoN) has purchased four additional REMUS 100 systems. The AUVs were acquired by the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (NDLO) on be