Indian Navy has deployed two of its vessels in the Gulf of Oman as part of the Operation Sankalp, following the recent maritime security incidents in the region. With this move, the country aims to provide support for Indian-flagged vessels operating and transiting through the Persian Gulf and the G
Limpet mines were likely used in the June 13 attacks on two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, the US Navy said providing images and videos as proof. This is in contrast to initial reports that said one of the tankers, the 110,000 dwt Front Altair, had been torpedoed. The navy said its forces in […
French shipbuilder Naval Group has concluded negotiations for the construction of two Gowind corvettes for the United Arab Emirates Navy. The deal is estimated to be worth around €750 million (US $850 million) and has options for an additional two units in the class. The contract signing was first r
French Navy frigate FS Floreal intercepted over 520 kgs of illicit drugs while conducting patrols in the international waters of the Arabian Sea on May 28, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) said. Operating under the command of the Pakistan-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 150, Floreal conducted a routine
The crew of Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat seized over AU$1 billion worth of drugs during her nine months of operations in the Middle East. The frigate achieved this by seizing over 12.9 tonnes of hashish, 1.4 tonnes of heroin and a small amount of methyl amphetamines, with a combined w
Two US Navy groups operate in US 5th Fleet AOP in show of force amid Iran tensions.
Spanish Navy frigate ESPS Mendez Nunes broke off from the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its carrier strike group (CSG) as it headed for the Strait of Hormuz amid heightened tension between the US and Iran. The Spanish frigate’s withdrawal from the carrier strike group was first reporte
US Navy aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and ships from its carrier strike group entered the US 5th Fleet area of operations on May 9 after transiting the Suez Canal. The Abraham Lincoln CSG (ABESCG) arrived in the Middle East a little earlier than initially planned, following an announceme
US Navy fighter jets embarked aboard aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln joined US Air Force’s 603rd Air Control Squadron to complete a close air support (CAS) exercise with Romania between May 3 and 5. The CAS involved coordination with US Air Force tankers for in-flight refueling and Romanian joi
Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose arrived in Bahrain on April 3 to start a three-year mission in the Persian Gulf state. Montrose sailed into the UK’s new support facility in Bahrain after a six-month journey, which saw her cover 47,000-miles from her home in Plymouth. From Bahrain, she will conduct r
US 5th Fleet’s Task Force 55 and commercial shipping industry representatives joined forces recently to complete exercise Lucky Mariner 19. The annual exercise concluded March 15 and was led by the task force’s Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) detachment designed to exercise comma
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat seized two tons of hashish worth an estimated AU$100 million in street value during a boarding operation on February 28. This is the sixth seizure of narcotics by Ballarat during her current deployment to the Middle East, which she started in October last
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri officially started construction of the first of two Qatari Navy offshore patrol vessels in a ceremony at its Muggiano shipyard on February 27. The two OPVs will be built as part of a larger, 4 billion euro, contract which will see Finantieri deliver a total of seven s
Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Ballarat has seized more than 2.1 tonnes of hashish and 345 kilograms of heroin in two boarding operations in the Arabian Sea. The Australian Navy said the seizures were worth approximately AU$105 million and AU$103.5 million respectively. The interceptions took pl
