Royal Navy helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious sailed from Portsmouth on August 12 as part of an annual deployment to the Mediterranean and Gulf region involving thousands of RN, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel. The long-planned Cougar ’13 deployment will see elements of the UK’s Re
More than 220 Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3 homeported at Naval Base Ventura County, Port Hueneme, departed for a six-month deployment to the Pacific Region, Aug. 6. The group will arrive in advance of the battalion’s main body to assume control of office spaces, equipmen
After 148 days in charge, the Finnish Autonomous Vessel Protection Detachment (AVPD) handed over the responsibility for the protection of the World Food Program (WFP) Ship MV Caroline Scan to a Lithuanian AVPD on 10 August. On behalf of Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, Operation Commander European Union Na
The upgraded Anzac Class frigate HMAS Perth ended Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 with a bang—lots of bangs actually—as she participated in a joint live fire exercise at Townsend Island, off Queensland. Perth fired around 100 rounds from its 5-inch gun, in an exercise that coordinated live fire from Au
HMAS Newcastle has made a rendezvous with the United States Navy’s Mine Counter Measure Ship USS Devastator in the Southern Persian (Arabian) Gulf. Newcastle was in the area conducting maritime security patrols as part of the Combined Task Force 152, focussed on maritime security in the Arabian Gulf
Spanish Maritime Action Ship (BAM) ‘Meteoro’ relieved on August 7 the frigate ‘Numancia’ in the port of Djibouti. Operation ‘Atalanta’ is a EU-led mission fighting piracy in the coast of Somalia. Meteoro will remain in the theatre of operations for a period of four months. Her mission will be to pro
USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) completed the second of three combat systems testing and sea trials, in support of the first-ever integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) destroyer Aegis baseline nine combat systems upgrade, July 19. The upgrade, part of the Navy’s destroyer modernization program, beg
Tetra Tech, Inc. announced on August 6 that it was one of three firms awarded a $75 million, multiple award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract to provide natural resources monitoring, management, compliance, and related environmental planning services for the U.S. Navy. Issued by the
General Dynamics-NASSCO Earl Industries, based in Portsmouth, Va., has received a $82.4 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) fiscal 2013 dry-docking planned incremental availability. Under the contract, during its scheduled maintenance
As part of Operation CARIBBE – Canada’s recurring participation in the multinational campaign against illicit trafficking in the Western Hemisphere – HMCS Ottawa plays a supporting role in the fight against illicit trafficking in the Caribbean basin and the eastern Pacific Ocean. On 10 June 2013, HM
The guided-missile frigate USS Nicholas (FFG 47) returned to Naval Station Norfolk on August 9, marking the successful completion of her final six-month deployment. The ship deployed on Jan. 20 of this year and traveled to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet Areas of Responsibility where she supported Mariti
Thousands of Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel will leave the UK today for an annual deployment to the Mediterranean and Gulf region – Cougar ’13. The long-planned deployment will see elements of the UK’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) – the naval force formed under the
Royal Navy minehunter HMS Ledbury returned to Portsmouth on August 9 following a three- month deployment across the Mediterranean and northern Red Sea. She formed part of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2, working extensively with NATO partners from Germany, Italy, Turkey and Albania as
Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) began Certification Exercise (CERTEX), Aug. 7. CERTEX is an event focusing on the 31st MEU’s capability of doing missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations or non-combatant
