On Tuesday 2 September the EU Force Commander, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, welcomed the Commander of the Japanese Escort Task Group, Captain Tsutomu Okawa, on board the EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria. Both ships are conducting counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The Japanese Es
On Thursday 28 August EU Naval Force flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, and Combined Maritime Force frigate, HMAS Toowoomba, met at sea in the Gulf of Aden. As both warships were in close proximity to each other, crewmembers from both warships took the opportunity to ‘cross-deck’ to the other to meet sai
Italian Navy’s destroyer Andrea Doria (D553) docked in the port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, where it was visited by the Ambassador of Italy to the United Arab Emirates, Giorgio Starace. Prior to the docking, the vessel spent a long period of time at sea during which it took part in a replen
HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën is on her way home after a successful three months deployment to the EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta, the counter-piracy mission of the European Union. Before joining Operation Atalanta, the ship conducted two-weeks of pre-deployment training on her way to the Suez Cana
HNLMS Van Speijk, the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) multipurpose frigate, arrived on the African east coast for her participation within the EU Naval Force. However, before entering the area of operations further preparation was necessary: additional specific training for the mission and the integ
Lockheed Martin Bags F-35 Lightning II Contract, 2014 Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $232,7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to the previously awarded F-35 Lightning II Low Rate Initial Production Lot VI contract. USS Sarat
Tanker RFA Black Rover trails a thick fuel line into the South Atlantic as she practises keeping HMS Iron Duke topped up on patrol. Off Africa’s western seaboard between Walvis Bay in Namibia and Cape Town, the veteran oiler carried out a dry run of a stern replenishment at sea – making all the [&
A British warship has visited the Namibian port of Walvis Bay where she has built on relations with the country’s Navy and its people. The Portsmouth based frigate HMS Iron Duke visited the country on the west coast of Africa for four days of sports, capability demonstrations and friendship buildi
On 15 and 16 August the Force Commander of EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), Rear Admiral Guido Rando, visited HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën and ESPS Navarra. The Dutch frigate is currently conducting the last patrol of her 4 months deployment in the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, whilst the Spanish
On Tuesday 12 August, whilst conducting counter-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, the EU Naval Force flagship and Italian Navy destroyer, ITS Andrea Doria, gave assistance to a stricken yacht. The yacht’s two French crewmembers had put out a mayday signal after they suffered engine failure. The
A Royal UK Navy frigate has been training with the Nigerian Navy allowing for an exchange of skills and techniques. HMS Iron Duke paid a short visit to Lagos, Nigeria, West Africa’s most populous city where the frigate worked with the Nigerian Navy as well as hosting a UK Trade and Industry Expo.
North Dakota Submarine Completes Alpha Sea Trials The US nation’s newest and most advanced nuclear-powered attack submarine, North Dakota (SSN-784), returned to the General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard Tuesday following the successful completion of its first voyage in open seas, called alpha sea
NATO’s Counter-Piracy Mission, Operation Ocean Shield, has bid farewell to the Italian destroyer ITS MIMBELLI. The ITS MIMBELLI left Task Force 508 on Wednesday, 6 August 2014, after a job very well done as part of Operation Ocean Shield. The continuous, main effort of Task Force 508 is keeping co
During the last week end naval air units of the Italian Navy were busy rescuing migrants on boats arriving from North African coasts. Between Friday and Sunday, over 2,500 have been rescued as part of the country’s Mare Nostrum (Our Sea) operation with several units, including frigates Aliseo and
