The Northern Coasts 2014 (NOCO14) exercise commenced in late August and is set to continue until September 11. In addition to Finnish Army and Air Force units, exercise assets include aircraft from Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and the United States. The Finnish Air Force has assigned a single Boeing
Under a blanket of police security and the watchful eyes of the crews of the two escorting RN P2000 craft, HMS Biter and HMS Express, the Latvian Navy’s Tripartite-class minehunter Viesturs, sailed into Cardiff Docks. The first of six warships, she will be joined over the next two days by ships fr
NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) welcomed aboard its new Deputy Commander (DCOM), Vice Admiral Bruno Paulmier (FRA N), on September 1. Vice Admiral Paulmier brings a wealth of command operational experience to his posting as DCOM MARCOM. His command tours afloat include command of the light f
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 Saturday 30 August, EU Naval Force warship BNS Leopold I conducted their first friendly approach with two Yemeni fishing vessels. Having sighted the vessels at sea with approximately 15 men, women and children on board, the warship’s Boarding Party was dispatched to investigate the situation. O
Thousands of Royal UK Navy, Royal Marine and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel have left the UK for an annual exercise in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions. Two Royal Navy warships, the Lead Commando Group from 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines (40 Commando) and elements of Naval Air Squadrons, toge
After leaving her home port of Zeebrugge on Sunday 10 August, Belgian Navy warship BNS LEOPOLD I has arrived in the Gulf of Aden to commence counter-piracy operations with the EU Naval Force. This is the fourth time that this multi-purpose frigate, with 157 men and 13 women on board, has participa
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
Nautronix, a provider of through water communication and positioning technology to the offshore industry, has commissioned the largest NASDive digital diver communications system for GDA, who were working on an upgrade of the communication system on-board Submarine Rescue Vessel, the MV Belos for th
On August 29, Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (SNMCMG1), under the leadership of Lithuanian Navy Commander Giedrius Premeneckas, arrived in Turku, Finland, for a routine port visit in advance of the Finnish Navy-led Exercise NORTHERN COASTS. SNMCMG1 is visiting Turku during the Group
EU Naval Force Warship FGS Berlin conducts three Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) activities during a recent port visit to the Seychelles in support of EUCAP Nestor. LMCB are conducted by the European Union to build the capacity of security forces of regional partners in the fight against p
Spanish Navy’s minesweeper ‘Douro’ (M-35), of class Segura, will be a part of the SNMCMG-2 Alliance from August 29. The vessel has started its journey on 28 August from the port of Alicante to join the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group TWO, along with other units from NATO countries. Douro
The Spanish Navy’s frigate Almirante Juan de Borbón (F-102) will become a part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) from September. The vessel set sail today from its home base in Ferrol to the eastern Mediterranean, where it will participate in NATO’s operations until mid-December. Upon
During the last few days EU Naval Force Warship ESPS Navarra deployed as part of EU Naval Force, has been conducting counter-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean. The Spanish frigate’s embarked AB 212 helicopter, during a routine flight, visually detected two vessels sailing northwards to the Yemen
