U.S. Navy destroyer USS Laboon made its second drug bust in five days, seizing 500 kg of hashish in the Arabian Sea on March 17. In the previous interception from March 13, Laboon intercepted a small stateless dhow in the international waters of the Arabian Sea, seizing 270 kg of heroin. Another shi
U.S. Navy destroyer USS Laboon (DDG 58) seized 270 kilograms of heroin from a small stateless dhow in the international waters of the Arabian Sea March 13. The dhow was intercepted after having been tracked by a helicopter from the Royal Navy’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Victoria. Both Laboon
U.S. Navy surveillance ship USNS Invincible (T-AGM-24) was forced to change direction in order to avoid a collision with an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps boat on March 4. The surveillance ship was harassed by several Iranian boats as it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz together with t
U.S. Navy guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) stopped in Souda Bay, Greece, for the first port visit during its 2017 deployment with the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG). USS Philippine Sea was in Greece from March 1 to March 5 conducting a community relations project, w
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Arunta recently seized over 800 kilos from a dhow in the Middle East, on March 2. Arunta was patrolling in the Arabian Sea and her specialist boarding team located the drugs hidden in a consignment of coffee. The drugs have an estimated street value of approximatel
U.S. Navy sailors and marines assigned to ships from the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (BAT ARG) deployed for operations in Europe and the Middle East. Amphibious transport dock USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) deployed from Naval Station Norfolk on February 24 and amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hal
The United Arab Emirates Navy selected French defense technology company Thales to provide improved electronic warfare, anti-submarine warfare as well as security and surveillance capabilities to its forces at the 2017 NAVDEX exhibition in Dubai. The UAE Navy also announced a contract for the purcha
The Iranian Navy has tested the latest version of the home-made Nasr missile during naval drills held in its territorial waters. According to Iranian English-language news agency Fars News, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said the cruise missile’s accuracy was confirmed aft
Over ten ships from four nations are participating in the annual, Royal Navy of Oman-hosted exercise Khunjar Haad that takes place in the Gulf of Oman. Ships from the Royal Navy of Oman are joined by U.S., French and Royal Navy ships in gunnery and air defense exercises aimed at maintaining the sail
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE, commissioned the sixth and final Baynunah-class corvette on February 20. The commissioning ceremony for the corvette, built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), took place in Abu Dhabi at the IDEX 2017 exhibition. The 72-
The “suicide boats” used by Yemen’s Houthi fighters during the recent attack on Royal Saudi Navy frigate Al-Madinah were actually unmanned boats, a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral told Defense News in a recent interview. Official reports from the January 30 incident said the frigate was attacked by three boa
French Marine Nationale anti-air frigate FS Forbin (D620), which is currently part of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 50, assisted in the rescue of mariners from a sinking dhow in the Gulf of Oman on February 13. Having received word of a dhow taking on water, Forbin directed their helicopter, an NH90 w
U.S. Navy’s carrier strike group centered around aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush has started air strikes against ISIL from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The strikes, which started on February 13, are in support of the U.S. operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) aimed at fighting the Islamic State o
Navy ships from Australia, Great Britain, France and the U.S. concluded their participation in the multi-national exercise Unified Trident that was held in the Persian Gulf. More than 15 ships, plus numerous aircraft from the four navies completed many different evolutions from January 31 to Februar
