On 19 March 2012, the multipurpose frigate HNLMS Van Amstel left its home base of Den Helder for Somalia. The ship is set to take part in Operation Atalanta, the European Union’s counter-piracy mission. Before departure, family and friends of the crew said their farewells on board the ship. In the c
The Portsmouth-based frigate joined the USS Abraham Lincoln for anti-submarine exercises, before serving as the ‘plane guard’ for the carrier as she launched and recovered her aircraft. Her Majesty’s Ship Westminster sails in company with the USS Abraham Lincoln as the Portsmouth-based warship joine
Large ASW ship Vice Admiral Kulakov is heading for Northern Fleet (NF) test range in the Barents Sea. The crew has passed full training cycle in base and is finishing preparations for long-range cruise to the Gulf of Aden. Personnel of the ship will perform a number of missile and gun firings, air a
Task group of Caspian Flotilla (CF) ships took the sea for combat training purposes. CF flagship frigate Tatarstan, missile boats Budennovsk and Borovsk will spend a month at sea performing various drills separately and within the task group. In particular, CF naval mariners will demonstrate profess
Crew of Black Sea Fleet (BSF) Guard missile cruiser Moskva entered upon routine service after completion of dock repair at the fleet’s ship repair plant in Sevastopol. Despite unusual frosty weather and strong winds in January and February, bilge outboard equipment and firefighting system were repai
Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) are scheduled to visit Piraeus, Greece, March 28 on their first port visit of the ship’s 22nd and final deployment. The visit will mark the first time Enterprise has visited the port since March of 1963, during the carrier’s second deployme
On the 26 March 2012, the EU Naval Force Flagship ESPS Patino located a Yemeni registered dhow that was suspected of being involved in acts of piracy off the Somali coast. The previous day a merchant vessel had reported that it had evaded an attack by two skiffs. As she was close by, ESPS Patino [&h
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) arrived in Civitavecchia, Italy March 26 for a regularly scheduled port visit. Civitavecchia is also known as the “The Port of Rome”, and apart from being a center for maritime transport and shipping in Italy, is linked
In Oct 2012, Ukrainian Navy’s airplane An-26 will join EU Operation Atalanta conducted off Somalia to counter piracy, reports Ukrinform referring to Vasily Filipchuk, Director of Political Dept, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry. As for him, “Ukrainian naval airplane An-26 will be dispatched to the mission
Guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) arrived in Piraeus, Greece for a regularly scheduled port visit March 28. The visit serves to continue U.S. 6th Fleet efforts to build global maritime partnerships with European nations and improve maritime safety and security in the region. “Sailors [abo
HMS Argyll will return to Plymouth on Friday after an 186-day patrol in the Middle East. Some 650 friends and family are expected to greet the frigate which has spent the past six months keeping the sea lanes free and flying the flag for the UK. In recognition of the ship’s Scottish links a bagpiper
French Navy command and replenishment ship FS MARNE left Toulon on 25 March and is heading towards the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin, with the future EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Rear-Admiral Dupuis and his staff on board. The FS MARNE carries a complement of 215 personnel on board, among whom are
Plymouth based warship, HMS Ocean, has been awarded a trophy as the Royal Navy’s most effective large ship for 2011 having also won it in 2010. HMS Ocean has won the 2011 Effectiveness Trophy in two categories ‘Capital Ship’ and ‘Naval Capability’, the latter in conjunction with the Apache Air Group
A diver died on Sat, March 24 during Pacific Fleet (PF) naval exercise. The tragedy happened when rescue ship Alagez was conducting a submarine salvage drill, reported RIA PrimaMedia referring to Capt 1 rank Roman Martov, chief of Eastern Military District Press Service. During the drill, crew of Al
