Training & Education
USS Hue City, FGS Hamburg Dock in Alicante
The Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66) and German frigate FGS Hamburg (F220) arrived in Alicante, Spain, March 6. The ships began the second half of an extended deployment for the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group on Feb. 21 and Alicante marked their first port call in
UK: HMS Monmouth Holds Fire-Exercise on Patrol
Plymouth based warship HMS Monmouth conducted a major engine-space fire exercise to keep self-protection skills fresh mid-way through its seven-month security patrol of the Arabian Gulf. Back at sea and on operations after a two-week ‘pit-stop’ of essential maintenance and well-deserved rest and rec
Merlin Helicopters Stalk Subs in the Mediterranean amid NATO’s Proud Manta
Three Merlin helicopters from 829 and 814 Naval Air Squadrons based at Culdrose in southwest Cornwall as well as 75 supporting air and ground crew are the UK’s input to Proud Manta– the biggest anti-submarine exercise run by NATO. Ships, submarines and aircraft from 14 nations have converged on Sici
UK: HMS Mersey Conducts Winching Training with Merlin Helicopter
Fishery Protection vessel HMS Mersey has taken part in a rare opportunity to practise winching training with a Merlin helicopter from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose. The Portsmouth-based vessel was on a routine patrol of the UK’s fishery limits over the weekend when the wind increased, whipping up
EUNAVFOR Welcomes ESPS Rayo to Counter-Piracy Operation Atalanta
After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, ESPS Rayo joined EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta on Tuesday 26 February. Having completed her first patrol in the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the Spanish warship is currently alongside Djibouti, together with EU
Top News of the Week of Feb 25 – Mar 2, 2013
Russia Plans to Rearm BSF Russia has announced plans to rearm its Black Sea Fleet and has asked Ukraine to settle the issues regarding the planned deliveries of new weapons to the naval force, Ukraine’s defense minister said on Saturday. Italy: NATO Allies Participate in Proud Manta 2013 Exercise Pr
USA: Exercise OE-13 Comes to Successful Close
Exercise Obangame Express 2013 (OE-13), an at-sea naval exercise focused on counter-piracy and maritime security operations wrapped up in the Gulf of Guinea, Feb. 28. OE-13 provided African, European and Atlantic partner maritime services the opportunity to work together, share information and refin
UK: Royal Navy’s Fishery Protection Vessels Demonstrate High Speed Skills
Two of the Royal Navy’s fishery protection vessels practised fast, complicated manoeuvres and live firing skills as part of an annual exercise in the Solent. HMS Mersey and HMS Severn paused their operational duties for several days to take on the rare opportunity of working together for a programme
EUNAVFOR, NATO to Fight Piracy
On 24 February 2013, whilst on counter piracy patrols in the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) the Force Commander of EU NAVFOR, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met with the Commander of the NATO counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield, Rear Admiral Antonio Natale. The meeting be
Italy: NATO Allies Participate in Proud Manta 2013
Exercise Proud Manta 2013 (POMA 13), NATO’s largest anti-submarine warfare exercise, began in the Ionian Sea, Feb. 23. Participants in POMA 13 include four submarines, 16 aircraft and eight surface ships from 10 NATO nations, including the United States. POMA is an annual at-sea exercise focused on
UK: Naval Airman Proud to Highlight Battle of Atlantic 70th Anniversary Events
A naval airman from Ramsgate serving in the helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious recently played his part in raising the profile of the forthcoming Battle of the Atlantic 70th anniversary. HMS Illustrious – known to her crew as Lusty – visited Liverpool recently and Naval Airman Chris Heale, 31, was a
MPRA Detachment Returns to EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta
At the end of February the Luxembourg Maritime patrol and Reconnaissance (MPRA) Detachment returned to the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta counter piracy mission, having taken over MPRA duties from the Swedish Coast Guard MPRA unit operating from the Seychelles. During their pr
HNLMS De Ruyter Transfers Suspected Pirates to Seychelles
On Monday 25 February Dutch EU Naval Force frigate HNLMS De Ruyter transferred nine suspected pirates to the Seychelles authorities for prosecution. The transfers happened after HNLMS De Ruyter, who was conducting counter piracy patrols, stopped two skiffs on 19 February 120 nautical miles off the S
Top News of the Week of Feb 18 – Feb 23, 2013
VIDEO: Queen Elizabeth Class Brought to Life BAE Systems, together with Thales UK, Babcock and the UK Ministry of Defence (the Aircraft Carrier Alliance) has ventured on a major endeavor with the construction of the biggest aircraft carrier ever to be built in Britain, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is