Operations
UK: Multi-Million Refit for RFA’s Biggest Ship
A Birkenhead company is undertaking a refit worth over £47m for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s (RFA) biggest ship. More than 200 highly skilled engineers from Cammell Laird will refurbish RFA Fort Victoria at their Birkenhead yard. Work will include a complete overhaul of the engine, main propulsion
USCG to Offload About USD 80 Million of Cocaine
On March 15, a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment aboard her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Glace Bay, assigned to Joint Interagency Task Force South, patrolling the Caribbean Sea, identified the King Gold, a Panamanian-flagged fishing vessel suspected of smuggling drugs. The LEDET boarded
MBDA Presents New Coastal Defence System in Doha, Qatar
At the DIMDEX exhibition in Doha, Qatar (25-27 March 2014), MBDA is presenting for the first time ever a new coastal defence system based on the Marte missile family. The Marte Coastal Defence System (MCDS) guarantees maritime coastal traffic surveillance and interdiction to hostile ships in terri
USS Simpson Arrives Home
Guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56) returned home to Naval Station Mayport, Fla., March 20, after a six-month deployment to the 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility. While deployed, the crew conducted more than 700 flight hours in support of regional and maritime security. The crew conducted m
Spanish OPV Infanta Elena Trains with African Nations
Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Infanta Elena’ has just concluded her participation in the international exercise ‘Saharan Express’ intended to develop and strengthen the capabilities of African nations in the control of their own territorial waters and exclusive economic zones. The African
USCG Cutter Polar Star to Return Home Today
The Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star is scheduled to return to their homeport of Coast Guard Base Seattle at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 21, 2014, following a 108-day deployment of Operation Deep Freeze 2014. Polar Star departed Seattle Dec. 3rd, 2013, and made port calls in Honolulu, Sydney, Australia
New Crew Takes Over EU Counter Piracy Role off Coast of Somalia
One of the key elements of the EU Naval Force’s counter-piracy operation in the waters of the Horn of Africa is the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA). These long-range, capable aircraft conduct aerial patrols over the sea areas where pirates are known to operate and can provide earl
HMAS Ballarat, Success Join Forces in BLUE RAPTOR
After completing an Operation RESOLUTE deployment in Darwin, HMAS Ballarat commenced a fast transit down the West Coast towards Fleet Base West. Ballarat was in company with HMAS Success as they passed through one of the most important areas on Australia’s long coastline. The North West shelf reso
USS Mount Whitney Holds Shipboard Readiness Training
The U.S. 6th Fleet flagship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) arrived in her homeport of Gaeta, Italy, March 20, after a three-day underway, in which a number of drills and training scenarios were completed. Evolutions accomplished included basic and advanced damage control, steering casualties, helicopt
Spanish Navy Swaps Ships in Counter-Piracy Mission
The two Spanish Navy warships participated in NATO’s operation ‘Ocean Shield’ and EU’s operation ‘Atalanta’ fighting piracy off the coast of Somalia. They have both been relieved by other Spanish Navy ships in the port of Djibouti. The frigate ‘Álvaro de Bazán’ (F-101) has been relieved by her sis
HMS Defender: Ready to Fight and Win (UK)
HMS Defender has flexed her considerable muscle in the final phase of her pre-deployment training package to see off attacks from fighter jets, pirates and small boat attack. The Royal Navy’s most powerful destroyer has proven her worth across the full spectrum of the ships war fighting capability
Royal Marines Train in Cornwall, UK
The Royal Marines have been flexing their collective muscle on exercise in Cornwall. Raiding Craft at picture-postcard Cawsand Beach – just some of the roughly 700 Royal Marines involved in Exercise South-West Sword, a week-long workout for the green berets and the nation’s flagship, HMS Bulwark,
GALLERY: EU, South Korean Warships Randezvous at Sea
On Saturday 15 March, EU Naval Force French Flagship, FS Siroco, and South Korean destroyer, ROKS Kang Gam Chan met at sea in the Gulf of Aden to conduct a series of maritime exercises. Both warships are currently conducting counter-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. During the exercises, C
US P-8A Poseidon Continues MH370 Search from Australia
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft completed its transition from Kuala Lumpur to Perth March 18 to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean. “The search has expanded to the southern portions of the Indian Ocean and the P-8A has the range required t