Training & Education
HMS Argyll Stops Another Drug Haul
The Royal Navy’s drug busting warship HMS Argyll is heading home for Christmas having dealt another blow to the drugs trade in the North Atlantic. The frigate has been deployed for six months and the final nine weeks of this have been spent on highly successful counter narcotics operations in the Ca
US Increases Presence at Rota Naval Base
The US is increasing its military presence in Europe by adding two more ballistic missile ships to its Rota Naval Base in Spain. These are the first American ships home-ported here since Polaris-missile submarines left in the 1970s, U.S. base officials said. Guarding Against Missile Attack, Pirates
DSACEUR Pays Visit to NATO Allied Maritime Command
The Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR), General Sir Adrian Bradshaw, KCB OBE, visited NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to meet with Commander MARCOM Vice Admiral Peter Hudson, CBE, and discuss relevant developments in the maritime domain with the MARCOM command staff. Discussion a
HMS Northumberland Ends Middle East Deployment
The Royal Navy frigate HMS Northumberland returned to Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth on Friday, 5 December, after a successful patrol policing international shipping lanes in the Middle East. The vessel’s return marks the end of a successful seven-month patrol in the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean.
USS Michael Murphy, FS Vendemiaire Engage in PASSEX
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) conducted a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) with the French frigate FS Vendemiaire (F734), Nov. 28, while operating in the South China Sea. The allied ships conducted weapons and maneuvering exercises, as well as training for the vi
Ireland Orders OSI’s Software for Its Warships
Irish Naval Service has contracted OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) for the delivery of warship navigation systems, including OSI’s flagship ECPINS-W (Warship) software. Under the terms of this contract, OSI will provide engineering services, ship systems, operator training systems, and installation servi
USS Vicksburg Deploys on NATO Mission
Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69) departed Naval Station Mayport Dec. 4 to relieve USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) later this month as the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 flagship and to support theater security cooperation efforts in Europe. The crew recently participated in Join
New Zealand MPA Departs NATO’s OCEAN SHIELD
This week the crew of a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) P-3 Orion from the Royal New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) completed their support to NATO’s counter-piracy Operation OCEAN SHIELD (OOS) Task Force 508 (CTF-508). Between 13 and 30 November, the NATO partner nation’s detachment of more than 50 cr
Reina Sofía Returns from NATO’s Active Endeavour
The Spanish Navy’s frigate “Reina Sofía” has completed its participation in NATO’s counter-terrorist operation “Active Endeavour” in the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel departed the Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG-2) after participating in the operation for a month and a half and returned to its Ro
Preparations Continue for Phoenix Express 2015
Maritime professionals from North Africa, Europe and the U.S. started another round of planning for Phoenix Express 2015 at the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Center in Souda Bay, Greece, Dec. 2. The four-day planning event, the second of three before exercise execution in spring 20
Norway’s Annual Fall Exercise Comes to an End
Participants from Denmark, France and Germany participated together with selected units from Norway’s broad range of naval vessels in the formally named Task Group 14-3 fall exercise on the west coast of Norway. Frigates, corvettes, submarines, mine counter meassure-, patrol- and logistics vessels p
ROK’s Director General for International Policy Tours MARCOM
The Republic of Korea’s Director General for International Policy, the Honorable Jeong Kyu Lee, led a delegation of officials visiting NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) to meet with MARCOM Chief of Staff Rear Admiral Giorgio Lazio and discuss issues of shared importance and opportunities for coo
SNMG2 Vessels Pay Visit to Piraeus, Greece
Three ships assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group TWO (SNMG2) arrived in Piraeus Nov. 26, for a scheduled port visit during the Group’s deployment to the Mediterranean to enhance maritime security and readiness, and in support of NATO’s counter-terrorism Operation Active Endeavour (OAE). During t
HMS Quorn Pays Visit to Ipswich
HMS Quorn, sailed into Ipswich yesterday, 27th November, for a five-day visit. The Royal Navy minehunter will be open to the public on Saturday 29th November on a ticket-only basis between 9.30am and 4pm with the last entry at 3pm. The highlight of the visit comes on Sunday 30th November, when the s