The staff of Commander, Amphibious Squadron (CPR) 8 held a change of command ceremony in the forecastle of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) while underway in the Gulf of Aden, March 3. During the ceremony, Capt. Michael M. McMillan relieved Capt. Timothy L. Schorr as commodore. Schor
Spanish Navy’s OPV ‘Vencedora’ set sail from her home port in Cartagena to take part in the ‘Africa Partnership Station’ (APS) initiative and several cooperative security activities in the African continent as part of the Defense diplomacy plan. During the three and a half month deployment, the ship
US Navy Names New Virginia-Class Submarine US Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus recently announced that SSN 795, a Virginia-class attack submarine, will bear the name USS Hyman G. Rickover. Royal Navy’s New Jets Carry Out Operational Testing The first British squadron has begun operational testing of
On Saturday, a group of five Spanish Marine Corps from the ‘Tercio de Armada’ departed from Morón Air Base towards Ghana to participate in the Africa Partnership Station (APS) 2015 initiative on board the US Navy’s USNS Spearhead. Between the months of February and April, APS will conduct a series o
This week, warship TCG Buyukada (F-512), employed in the NATO counter piracy operation Ocean Shield, conducted several exercises with international naval forces from Japan, Australia, the Republic of Korea, and Oman. Vice Admiral Bruno Paulmier, Deputy Commander of NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, sa
Turkish Navy’s Corvette TCG Buyukada (F-512) joined NATO’s counter piracy Operation Ocean Shield on Friday, February 6. The ship will conduct regular counter piracy patrols in Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and provide support to NATO’s regional capacity building efforts in order to enhance interoper
US Navy’s USS Simpson (FFG 56), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate, engaged in counter-piracy operations, has taken the role of one of “the bad guys” during Exercise Cutlass Express 2015. Exercise Cutlass Express, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, is designed to improve regional coo
Maritime forces from East Africa, South Africa, Europe, Indian Ocean nations and several international organizations concluded the fourth iteration of the multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express 2015, Feb. 4. Exercise Cutlass Express 2015, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, was designed to im
The President of Mauritius, Kailash Purryag, visited the guided-missile frigate USS Simpson (FFG 56), while it’s moored in Port Louis, Mauritius taking part in Exercise Cutlass Express 2015, Feb. 3. During this exercise, U.S. and 12 East Africa partner nations simulated finding and combatting piracy
The underway portion of Exercise Cutlass Express 2015 commenced as boarding team members from Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda began visit, board, search, and seizure scenarios while at sea, Jan. 31, 2015. Exercise Cutlass Express 2015, sponsored by U.S. Afric
UK’s New RFA Tankers to Get Military Capabilities The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded a £15 million contract to A&P Group to install high-end military capabilities in four new tankers so that they are ready for operations by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Philippine Navy to Receive Two Vessels from A
French Navy’s vessel Lieutenant de vaisseau Lavallée (F790) commenced the naval exercise NEMO 2015 on January 20. The exercise is being held in the Gulf of Guinea in cooperation with the Cameroonian Navy. As part of the exercise, the crews of both navies are engaged in highbush operations in the sou
On 21 of January, the Force Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Guido Rando, hosted on board his flagship, ITS Andrea Doria, the Commander of the Combined Task Force 151 (CTF 151), Rear Admiral Wanich Pakorn. Rear Admiral Pakorn was accompanied by his Public Affairs Officer, Commander Komo
Chinese Warships Dock in Portsmouth, UK Three Chinese Naval ships were given a rapturous welcome as they arrived in Portsmouth for a formal visit aimed at enhancing military understanding between the UK and China. Damen Completes Build of Two FCS 5009 Patrol Vessels Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT)