German Bundestag authorized the deployment of German troops and units against ISIS in Syria on December 4, 2015. The German Navy will support the French group assembled around the French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle. The frigate FGS Augsburg will be sent to aid the aircraft carrier’s operat
Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigate HMS St Albans left her homeport in Portsmouth for a nine-month deployment in the Middle East, yesterday, December 1. St Albans will continue the work that her sister ship, HMS Richmond, carried out earlier this year as part of the Royal Navy’s long-term presence East of
HMS Duncan returned to naval base Portsmouth from her maiden nine-month deployment to the Middle East on November 27. The Type 45 destroyer – the UK’s newest warship – left the UK in March and has sailed 43,000 nautical miles and visited 14 countries. She has policed busy shipping lanes in seven dif
A frigate, four to six reconnaissance aircraft, and aerial replenishment of French fighter jets will be the German contribution to the French fight against ISIS. The German government appropriated these assets one day after the meeting between the French President Francois Hollande and the German Ch
French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed that the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle would be ready to start operations against ISIL on Monday, November 23. The ship was sent to Syrian waters last week as part of a regular French Navy Arromanches 2 mission which is in its eighth iteratio
The Northern Fleet large anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ship Vice Admiral Kulakov, finished passing the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean Sea into the Red Sea on November 20. Prior to entering the Red Sea offshore ocean zone, the crew of the Udaloy-class destroyer conducted training on damage control
The United States Naval Aviation rejoined the fight against ISIL November 19 when AV-8B Harriers launched from the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). The Harriers from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM)162 conducted their first missions over Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Reso
In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris, France sent its carrier strike group — GAN, with the nuclear-powered FS Charles de Gaulle as flagship to the Middle East for the second time this year. This deployment is part of a mission called Arromanches 2 and represents the eighth deployment o
Royal Navy’s HMS Defender started patrolling the Middle East after assuming her sister ship HMS Duncan’s role. The Type 45 destroyer officially assumed the role of Kipion operational destroyer and will spend nine months working with allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Gulf. HMS Defender dep
UK and the Royal Navy started the construction of a permanent naval base at the Mina Salman Port, Bahrain, on October 31. The works on the new base will include upgrades to the existing facilities at the Port, providing the Royal Navy with a forward operating base and a place to plan, store equipmen
The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG) entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) Oct. 31, after completing theater security operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet. The KSGARG is comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious transport dock USS Arlington (LP
The Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) departed the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO) Nov. 1. While on station in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO, the ARG and MEU supported theater security cooperation efforts and provided a forward naval presence w
Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender sailed from Portsmouth, England to the Middle East to carry out security operations which will be part of her second major deployment. The crew of 190 left their home port, October 19, to take over duties from sister ship HMS Duncan and spend nine months working with a
Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) conducted a change-of-command ceremony at-sea, Oct. 17. Capt. Brian Quin relieved Capt. Pete Mantz during a ‘flight lead change’ conducted. Mantz took command of Essex on May 28, 2014, following a successful tour as the ship’s executive officer, a
