Venezuelan Armed Forces are about to establish a Coast Guard Command armed with Russian-made Bal-E mobile missile systems, reports Infodefensa. At present, a group of Venezuelan officers and technicians is passing initial training in Russia. Caracas was supposed to receive coast defense missile syst
Sailors will now receive imminent danger pay (IDP) only for days they actually spend in IDP areas, according to NAVADMIN 062/12, released Feb. 17. This change, announced by the Department of Defense Feb. 2 and enacted in the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012, was implement
U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) departed from Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka for patrol Feb. 21. Commanded by Capt. Daniel Grieco, Blue Ridge is manned by more than 700 Sailors, including embarked 7th Fleet staff and Marines from Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team Pacific.
High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV) 2 unloaded approximately $4 billion of Project Handclasp humanitarian supplies in Cap Haiten, Haiti Feb. 16 during the ship’s final port visit of a four-month mission supporting HSV-Southern Partnership Station 2012 (HSV-SPS 12) in the eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea.
The instances of piracy off the coast of Somalia have been a constant source of concern for the Government. The Ministry of Shipping, in close co-ordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Navy and other agencies has been making discreet efforts to secure the release of Indian maritime
The flagship of Africa Partnership Station (APS) West 2012, USS Simpson (FFG 56), along with embarked staff, arrived in Tema, Ghana, Feb. 18 to begin their involvement with the APS 2012 Ghanaian hub. The hub, taking place after a recent port visit to Nigeria, brings training designed to strengthen A
Two Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) engineers returned from deployment on two different large-deck surface platforms in support of the U.S. Navy’s at sea, live and synthetic exercise Bold Alligator 2012 that ended Feb. 12. Luis Ramirez-Lugo embarked USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)
USS Abraham Lincoln’s (CVN 72) Diversity Council hosted a ceremony for the crew in the ship’s hangar bay, Feb. 17, in celebration of African-American History Month. Lincoln Sailors performed songs by African-American artists and viewed various displays and presentations acknowledging the achievement
The vice chief of naval operations (VCNO) concluded a three-day engagement visit to Canberra and Darwin, Australia, Feb. 21. Adm. Mark Ferguson met with Chief of the Australian Navy Vice Adm. Ray Griggs and U.S. Ambassador Hon. Jeffrey L. Bleich, toured naval facilities, and delivered remarks to stu
The Los Angeles fast-attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) returned to Naval Station Norfolk from a regularly scheduled deployment Feb. 17. Under the command of Cmdr. Thomas A. Winter, Montpelier is returning from the European Command area of responsibility where it executed the nation’s maritim
Los Angeles-Class Submarine, USS Montpelier, is going to return home to Virginia on Friday, following a six month deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, Navy said. USS Montpelier visited ports of Norway, Scotland and Spain and she covered more than 36,000 nautical miles during her c
Amphibious dock-landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) conducted, for the first time aboard, testing of Scan Eagle, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), used in coordination with both Gunston Hall and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Feb. 1-14. Scan Eagle is an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) asse
A British ship patrolling the Caribbean made a port call to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Feb. 15. The RFA, a civilian-manned flotilla owned by the UK Ministry of Defence, provides fuel, supplies and logistical support to Royal Navy warships around the world. The U.S. Naval Supply Systems Comm
Amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) conducted beach and flight operations Feb. 13, to conclude the seventh annual exercise Iron Fist 2012 off the coast of San Clemente Island, with elements from 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. The exercise demonstra
