Training & Education
HMS Clyde Wraps Up Another Series of Operational Sea Training
April saw HMS Clyde successfully complete another period of Falkland Islands Operational Sea Training. The ten days of assessed training, plus the long build up beforehand, consisted of many simulated fires, floods, flying, machinery breakdowns and all that the staff from Flag Officer Sea Training (
EU NAVFOR, Kenyan Navy Forge Bilateral Ties
Between 6th and 10th June, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) flagship NRP Álvares Cabral visited Mombasa, Kenya. During the visit the EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Jorge Novo Palma, visited several Kenyan authorities to discuss co-operation and knowledge sharing in order to enhance maritime secu
UK: Lusty Gears Up for Cougar 13
Portsmouth helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious is being put through her paces as she prepares for her autumn deployment on Exercise Cougar 13. Since May 20 and until June 13 Lusty has been based in Plymouth with Flag Officer Sea Training staff who are preparing the ship’s company for every possible e
US 6th Fleet Practices Integration into NATO-Led Operations
On the command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), members of the Striking and Support Forces NATO (SFN) and U.S. 6th Fleet completed a week of training on integrating U.S. Forces with NATO, June 7. The event allowed the two staffs to practice the seamless integration of U.S. carrier or exp
HMS Dragon Escorts Gigantic LNG Carrier through Strait of Hormuz
HMS Dragon helped shepherd a gigantic gas tanker through one of the world’s most important ‘choke points’ during an exercise to hone protecting sea trade. The Type 45 destroyer joined forces with other Royal Navy and US Navy vessels, escorting the 130,000-tonne tanker through the narrows between the
Babcock Upgrades HMS Penzance’s Operational Capability
Sandown class mine hunter HMS Penzance has left Babcock’s Rosyth dockyard with enhanced operational capability, sustainability and habitability standards, following a successful six month Support Period (Docking) (SP(D)) by Babcock. The support period was completed under the Surface Ship Support All
HMS Bulwark Takes a Short Break, Welcomes Aboard Family Members
Royal Naval families were treated to a day at sea by the grateful crew of the Plymouth-based amphibious ship HMS Bulwark. The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, at high readiness to deploy anywhere in the world at very short notice, took a short break from tasking welcome the families of her ship’s compan
Blas de Lezo Sets Sail for Turkey to Assume Command of SNMG-2
On June 5th Spanish F-100 frigate ‘Blas de Lezo’ departed from her home port in Ferrol and headed for Aksaz (Turkey), where she is scheduled to arrive on the 15th to become command ship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG-2) in the Mediterranean. On her way to Aksaz the ‘Blas de Lezo’ will [
HSwMS Carlskrona Saves Fourteen Indian Sailors
Fourteen Indian sailors are now safe, after pirates, who took control of their cargo vessel yesterday morning (5 June 2013) in the Gulf of Aden, abandoned the attack hours later after EU Naval Force warship HSwMS Carlskrona, together with NATO counter piracy Dutch warship HNLMS Van Speijk, closed in
Russia: State Commission Accepts Tugboat ‘RB-392′
After successful completion of sea trials at Pella Shipyard the Russian State Commission accepted tugboat “RB-392” (building No 935, project 90600). The tugboat will proceed to Novorossiysk, where it will be put into operation within the Black Sea Fleet Navy. The tugboat is intended for towing and b
NSC Monitoring Reported Hijacking of Indian Dhow
As of 05 June 2013 NATO’s Shipping Centre (NSC) is monitoring the reported hijacking of an Indian Dhow off the coast of Northern Somalia. The dhow was operating close to Somali waters and has been visually identified and is being tracked by military forces. Due to the identification and tracking of
HSwMS Carlskrona Conducts Evidence Handling Training
During a port visit to the Seychelles, EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship HSwMS Carlskrona conducted evidence handling training with the Seychellois Coastguard. This training, facilitated by EUCAP NESTOR, consisted of a demonstration by officers from the Swedish warship to a team from the Seychelloi
USA: BAE Systems’ Next-Generation IFF System Obtains Certification
Enhanced navigation and situational awareness are key to mission success, especially in time-critical situations, that’s where BAE Systems’ next-generation Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system comes in. At half the size and weight of currently fielded transponders, the system, known as the AN/D
UK: HMS Echo Heads for Deployment
Survey ship HMS Echo has picked up the baton where her sister Enterprise left off to begin her second 18-month deployment in three years. She left Falmouth on Monday – as Enterprise was returning to Plymouth – and will spend the next year and a half updating charts of the Mediterranean, Red Sea and