The EU-led counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia has welcomed its new flagship from the Spanish Navy. On August 6, Spain’s Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla joined the operation Atalanta which received a new force commander on the same day. Rear Admiral Alfonso Nanclares
US Navy Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) returned to her forward-deployed homeport of Gaeta, Italy, after five months of operations. Mount Whitney departed Gaeta Feb. 27, to conduct naval operations in the US 6th Fleet area of operations in Europe and Africa. “It’
Spanish Navy’s Galicia-class landing platform dock ESPS Castilla got underway from her homeport at Rota Naval Base on July 19 to join the counter-piracy operation Atalanta off the Horn of Africa. ESPS Castilla will operate two SH-60 helicopters from the 10th aircraft squadron during the deployment a
The US Department of Defense on June 19 announced the death of a US Navy sailor who was deployed to Africa. Officials identified the deceased sailor as Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew I. Holzemer, of Tennessee. According to the announcement, the sailor died as a result of a non-combat related incide
Spanish helicopter carrier ESPS Juan Carlos I and frigate ESPS Blaz de Lezo met up with EUNAVFOR units in the Red Sea recently as they transit towards the Persian Gulf. The multi-purpose amphibious assault ship and F-100 class air defense frigate are deployed as part of a Spanish Navy operation call
Ships from the Combined Maritime Force and EU NAVFOR staged a counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden early June, honing interoperability and coordination to combat piracy. EU NAVFOR ships and aircraft from Italy, Spain and Germany operated alongside US, Korean and Japanese warships of CMF from
Royal Navy destroyer and NATO SNMG2 flagship HMS Duncan has rescued two Algerian fishermen who had been stranded at sea for four days. A lookout from the Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer noticed the men’s boat by chance in the western Mediterranean – and the warship immediately offered food, fuel
Germany has decided to continue its campaign against piracy in the Horn of Africa, the Federal Government said in a statement. Specifically, Federal Armed Forces has extended the participation of the German Navy in the EU-led Operation Atalanta by May 31, 2019. As informed, Germany’s involvement wil
A Spanish offshore patrol vessel replaced an auxiliary oiler as the Spanish Navy contribution to the counter-piracy effort off the Horn of Africa – operation Atalanta. On April 21, oiler ESPS Patino left the Somali basin after five months of operations as part of the EUNAVFOR-led operation. Filling
On April 3, EU NAVFOR Spanish Navy replenishment oiler Patiño hosted members of the Tanzanian Navy during a port visit to Dar es Salaam. During the visit, the Tanzanian forces had the chance to train with the Spanish crew, who demonstrated their techniques in navigation and damage control procedures
The EU-led counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia has welcomed a new force commander in a ceremony held in Djibouti on April 5. Italian Navy Rear Admiral Simone Malvagna will now be in charge of operation Atalanta from aboard his flagship, FREMM frigate ITS Carlo Margottini. The frigate i
US Navy and Marine Corps have cancelled the Alligator Dagger amphibious drill taking place off Djibouti after two back-to-back aircraft crashes. In addition to halting Alligator Dagger maneuvers, the US Naval Forces Central Command also cancelled all air operations in Djibouti after two separate avi
Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade has begun a two-week amphibious training event in international waters off the African coast of Djibouti, the US Department of Defense said. As explained, Alligator Dagger is the largest regional amphibious combat rehearsal to in
US Navy’s forward-deployed guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) completed a four-month patrol in the Mediterranean and Black Sea, returning to Rota, Spain, on March 31. While on patrol, Carney conducted missions in support of regional allies and partners in the Mediterranean and Black Sea re
