Portsmouth-based Royal Navy minehunter HMS Ledbury sails on Tuesday (May 7) for a four-month NATO mission in the Mediterranean. She will be working as part of a permanent multinational maritime force in the area known as Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). The group works througho
High speed vessel USNS Swift (HSV-2) completed testing of the TIF-25K Aerostat (unmanned blimp) and a Puma unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and departed Key West for Operation Martillio, a Countering Transnational Organized Crime (C-TOC) mission in the U.S. 4th Fleet Area of Responsibility (AOR) May 1.
Divers from minehunter HMS Middleton swapped England’s south coast for the warm waters of Gibraltar for a week of high-tempo training. The five-strong team made full use of the facilities on the Rock, practising search techniques, helping stricken divers, lifting mines from the seabed and carrying o
The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Bulwark, will arrive in North Shields for a week-long visit, during which her ship’s company will cement the already strong relationship with affiliated County Durham. HMS Bulwark is playing a lead role in the forthcoming Battle of Atlantic 70th anniversary comme
Protecting World Food Programme (WFP) shipments to Somalia is a core task for EU Naval Force Somalia; ensuring the safe transportation of humanitarian aid to the Somali people. In 2013, WFP aims to bring humanitarian assistance to an estimated population of 1.56 million in Somalia. Since the beginni
Only 36 hours after taking over the Gulf patrol duties from HMS Monmouth, HMS Dragon seized a unique opportunity to replenish her fuel supplies. Whilst this is not an unusual method of sustaining a unit on Operations it would normally involve just two units side by side at sea. On this occasion howe
Sailors aboard the Hawaii-based Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin (CG 65) will depart Pearl Harbor April 30 for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment. While deployed, Chosin will conduct theater security operations with partner nations while providing deterrence, promoting peace a
HMAS Toowoomba is assigned to the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) mission to provide security and stability to vital sea lanes inside the Middle East Area of Operations. At the heart of it, Toowoomba has been tasked with stopping the transit of illegal narcotics, weapons and to act as a deterrent to
The John C. Stennis Strike Group (JCSSG) returned to San Diego Apr. 29, marking the end of a successful deployment for Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 and the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) to the U.S. Navy’s 5th and 7th Fleet areas of responsibility (AOR). While deployed, JCSSG conducted th
The Australian guided missile frigate HMAS Sydney has successfully completed a replenishment at sea (RAS) with the Spanish tanker ESPS Cantabria off the coast of Cairns, while on passage to Japan, where the Australian warship will embed with the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet. HMAS Sydney’s Commandi
The Chief of Naval Operations, Secretary of the Navy, and Commandant of the Marine Corps testified together April 25 before the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) on the Department of the Navy budget request for fiscal year 2014. The three naval leader’s testimony emphasized the realities of seq
The crew of the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Sydney called time out from their busy sea-going schedule at dawn on April 25 to honour the ANZAC legend. The ship was in the Coral Sea, steaming full speed ahead for Guam, where it will join the US Navy’s 7th Fleet for a three-month operational dep
Guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) arrived in Manama, Bahrain, April 23. Hue City had been underway for 43 consecutive days prior to pulling into Bahrain. “We are at the point in deployment where things have become mundane,” said Hue City’s Command Master Chief Raymond Charest. “This will b
Sailors aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) participated in Regional Security Education Program (RSEP) classes April 21 – 25. The RSEP classes were taught by four instructors from major universities and military campuses. The classes are part of an outreach program during Nimitz’ current deployment to teach
