This week Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset has hoisted the recently endorsed Somerset county flag from its yardarm for the first time in an operational setting. The flag was flown during Exercise Joint Warrior. The red dragon on a yellow background is flown throughout Replenishment at Sea evolutions
On Wednesday 16 October 2013, Royal Fleet Auxiliary Landing Ship, RFA Lyme Bay joined Operation Atalanta, as part of the EU’s counter piracy Naval Force off Somalia. RFA Lyme Bay is an amphibious operations support unit, whose primary role is to land troops, vehicles, equipment and stores from the s
Not every warship’s company can claim to have squeezed through one of the world’s narrowest waterways – but a Royal Navy mine hunter now has bragging rights. On the latest stage of her Mediterranean deployment with a NATO minehunting force, the Faslane-based warship, HMS Penzance, took the short cut
Royal Navy ships, submarines and aircraft together with NATO partners have completed the final Exercise Joint Warrior for 2013 off the coast of Scotland. Joint Warrior exercises run twice a year – in the spring and autumn – with the autumn session having just come to an end. Fifteen separate naval u
If there was ever a good reason to heed naval forces’ warnings about the continuing threat from Somali piracy, then an attack on a super tanker is surely one of them. As reported by the EU Naval Force last week, the fully laden super tanker was attacked by eight armed pirates on Friday 11 October, [
HMS Blyth is in action off the North West coast of Scotland as part of Europe’s largest annual multi-national exercise, Joint Warrior; a highly enjoyable and challenging experience. Among the other forces deployed are sister Sandown Class vessel HMS Bangor, Hunt class vessels HMS Brocklesby and HMS
HMS Penzance has taken part in a two-week exercise off the Sardinian coast as part of her ongoing NATO work in the region. Known as exercise Brilliant Mariner 13 the exercise involved warships from seven different NATO nations and ranged in size from the giant Italian aircraft carrier Cavour with th
The third major exercise of Cougar 13 has just ended on the shores of the United Arab Emirates. The Royal Navy’s Response Force Task Group has completed Sea Khanjar – a five day exercise culminating in a large amphibious demonstration for gathered visitors. Watching on were guests including: Major G
The Plymouth-based Royal Naval warship HMS Sutherland visited Germany last weekend. The ship’s diplomatic visit to Hamburg from last Friday was part of the ship’s engagements before she enters a period of re-fit and refit. Official receptions were held on board hosting for Naval Regional Command and
A total of 53 Royal Naval reservists are taking part in a tri-Service multi-national exercise off the coast of Scotland. Exercise Joint Warrior is held in the spring and autumn of every year and provides high quality tactical training for the three UK armed forces, as well as visiting units from all
Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral (VAdm) Philip A Jones CB visited the Devonport-based frigate, HMS Montrose, at sea whilst deployed on Op KIPION; the UK’s primary deterrence and presence patrol in the Middle East. At the time of the visit HMS Montrose was operating alongside other UK units, namely HMS
On 6th of October, whilst in the Indian Ocean ITS Zeffiro handed over the Italian commitment to the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta to ITS Libeccio. The counter-piracy duties were handed over in Djibouti from Commander Marco Antoniazzi (ITS Zeffiro) to his successor
EU Naval Force confirmed that on Friday 11 October 2013, a fully laden super tanker, known as a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), was fired upon by eight armed men in two ‘skiffs’ 230 miles off the Somali coast. The attack was successfully repelled by the Armed Security Team on board the super tanker
VIDEO: DDG 1000 Zumwalt-Class Destroyer Pending Christening (USA) The christening of the U.S. Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer, Zumwalt (DDG 1000), will take place on Saturday, October 19, 2013 at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works. HMS Ramsey Sailors Learn from Their American Minehunting Counte
