French president Francois Hollande said the French Navy aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle would be sent back to the Middle East this fall to reinforce the fight against ISIS terrorists. The president also said there was a possibility for France to send additional ground troops for training and s
Spanish Navy frigate Reina Sofia saved 121 migrants on July 12 and another 120 just the day after. The migrant rubber boats were spotted by the EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia air assets, the Luxemburg aircraft SW3 Merlin III and the Spanish VIGMA D-4. According to EUNVAFOR, two pregnant women were am
French defense and security contractor ECA Group was recently awarded a new export contract for the delivery of three mine counter measure unmanned systems to an undisclosed customer. This contract, around €10 million, includes the supply of three Inspector Mk2 unmanned surface vehicles (USV). These
Royal Navy’s 700X Naval Air Squadron have taken delivery of their first Commercial off the Shelf (COTS) mini unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The navy explained this move with the fact that these systems presented a cheap but able “eye in the sky” capability, meaning they may have utility in the Royal
With a flash of fire and a thunderous roar, HMS Daring lit her 10th birthday candle in spectacular style with the test firing of a Sea Viper missile. The Type 45 destroyer has become the first ship of her class to complete a second test firing of the Aster 30 missile, proving her world-beating air [
The Duke of Cambridge as Commodore-in-Chief Submarines presented 14 newly qualified submariners with their Dolphins during his first visit to HMS Artful. All fourteen had to meet the demanding standards of absolute professionalism to be awarded their Dolphins on-board the Royal Navy’s newest attack
Lynx Defender returned home to Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton following a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. During their 263 days away from the UK, 239 Lynx Flight from 815 Naval Air Squadron home base Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton, Somerset has been deployed in HMS Defe
HMS Dragon, a Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer, is ready for new missions again as she completed a year-long overhaul. A ceremony to officially mark the ship’s return to the front line took place in Portsmouth on Friday 8 July. The destroyer has been out of action for a year undergoing modifications car
European naval units on Saturday apprehended three persons off the coast of Libya suspected of organizing migrant crossings in the Mediterranean Sea. In an Operation Sophia action which took place in the morning hours of July 9, German tender Werra was assisted by Italian Navy ship Borsini and other
Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Cardigan Bay has returned from her Arabian Gulf deployment which kept the ship away from home for four years and two months. The ship supported mine warfare operations in the Middle East – not just by the Royal Navy’s four minehunters in the region, but by US counterpa
Britain has announced that it would send an offshore patrol vessel to the Aegean Sea where NATO vessels are already engaged in gathering intelligence and patrol the waters between Greece and Turkey with the aim of preventing migration and smuggling. During the NATO summit in Warsaw Defence Secretary
During FGS Bayern’s recent port visit to Djibouti, Operation Atalanta’s Force Commander, Rear Admiral Kaack, welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, Mohamed Omar Arte, on board. It was the first time that the Deputy Prime Minister has visited the German warship and he was received on board wi
The Spanish Air Force’s P-3 maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA), currently deployed to Djibouti as part of Operation Atalanta, recently met with two Japanese P-3 aircraft which are deployed with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) to fly in close formation over the Gulf of Aden. Mariti
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender is set to return home to Portsmouth on July 8 following her nine-month deployment to the Middle East where the ship worked with American and French Carrier strike groups as part of on-going operations against Daesh in Iraq and Syria. During her 263 days aw
