Operations
USCGC Harriet Lane seizes 8 tons of cocaine in three months in Pacific
US Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane has seized approximately 7.8 tons of cocaine during its three-month stint in the Eastern Pacific. The ship wrapped up its patrols and returned to homeport on April 8. The drugs were seized from nine suspected drug smuggling vessels and are valued at more than $260
One dead as Italian Navy helicopter crashes in the Mediterranean
An Italian Navy Agusta-Bell AB 212ASW helicopter with five on board crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on April 5, the Italian Navy has informed. All five Italian Navy personnel from the helicopter were recovered immediately recovered but one crew member died during resuscitation attempts, the navy
Counter-piracy operation welcomes new force commander
The EU-led counter-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia has welcomed a new force commander in a ceremony held in Djibouti on April 5. Italian Navy Rear Admiral Simone Malvagna will now be in charge of operation Atalanta from aboard his flagship, FREMM frigate ITS Carlo Margottini. The frigate i
US amphibious drill off Djibouti canceled after two crashes
US Navy and Marine Corps have cancelled the Alligator Dagger amphibious drill taking place off Djibouti after two back-to-back aircraft crashes. In addition to halting Alligator Dagger maneuvers, the US Naval Forces Central Command also cancelled all air operations in Djibouti after two separate avi
MBDA, Lockheed complete CAMM, extensible ExLS launcher qualifications
MBDA and Lockheed Martin announced they have completed a series of trials aimed at qualifying the integration of MBDA’s Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) with Lockheed Martin’s Extensible Launching System (ExLS) 3-Cell stand alone launcher. ExLS is Lockheed Martin’s low-cost alternative for int
USS Essex completes integration drill with amphibious ready group, marines
US Navy ships from the Essex amphibious ready group (ARG) have completed the first series of integration exercises with 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) during amphibious squadron (PHIBRON)-MEU Integrated Training (PMINT) off the coast of Southern California. Participating units honed their abil
French Rafale jets head for US and deployment aboard USS George H.W. Bush
A squadron of 12 French Navy Rafale M fighter jets, accompanied by three KC-135 refueling tankers, took off from the Landivisiau Naval Aviation Base in northwest France on April 4 to head to the United States for a two-month deployment. The aircraft usually fly from the French Navy aircraft carrier
US Navy, Marine Corps kick off Alligator Dagger
Naval Amphibious Force, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade has begun a two-week amphibious training event in international waters off the African coast of Djibouti, the US Department of Defense said. As explained, Alligator Dagger is the largest regional amphibious combat rehearsal to in
US Marine Corps Harrier crashes in Djibouti
A US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier crashed during takeoff from Djibouti Ambouli International Airport on April 3, the US Navy said in a statement. The pilot is receiving medical care after ejecting and doctors said the pilot was in stable condition while being evaluated at Camp Lemonnier’s expeditionar
Meteoro departs Spain to join Op Atalanta
Spanish Navy’s ESPS Meteoro is joining the European Union Naval Force’s (EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean. The offshore patrol vessel departed the Military Arsenal of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria on April 1, 2018, the navy informed. As explained, the deployment of Meteoro is part of th
Royal Navy deploys five P2000 boats on Scotland patrol
The Royal Navy has deployed five Archer class P2000 fast inshore patrol boats on an Easter tour of Scotland aimed at promoting the navy to Scottish communities. The vessels, which are all part of the First Patrol Boat Squadron, will transit the Caledonian Canal and spend the next few weeks visiting
Dutch Navy amphibious ship joins NATO operation Sea Guardian
HNLMS Karel Doorman, the Royal Netherlands Navy’s multi-purpose amphibious ship, got underway from its Den Helder homeport on April 4 to join the NATO-led operation Sea Guardian. Karel Doorman will spend the next nine weeks patrolling the Mediterranean Sea monitoring patterns-of-life to detect suspi
Future US destroyer Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) completes builder’s trials
Bath Iron Works-built US Navy destroyer Thomas Hudner (DDG 116) completed builder’s trials late March after four days underway, the US Navy announced. Builder’s trials consist of a series of in-port and at-sea demonstrations that allow the shipbuilder and the Navy to assess the ship’s systems and it
USS Theodore Roosevelt pulls into Singapore
US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) arrived in Singapore for a scheduled port visit on April 2 after supporting operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel over the previous four months. USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Singapore with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17,