On 12 February 2013, during a port visit by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta flagship ESPS Méndez Núnez to Port Victoria in the Seychelles, the EUNAVFOR Force Commander, Rear Admiral Pedro García de Paredes, met the Chief of Defence of the Seychelles People’s Defence Force
Three Merlin helicopters will go a-hunting off Sicily this weekend as they join the biggest anti-submarine exercise in western Europe. The aircraft, plus 75 personnel from RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, are Britain’s contribution to NATO’s Proud Manta, a two-week war game involving the forces of ten All
The Swedish Coast Guard MPRA aircraft left the Seychelles on 15 February 2013 after a productive four month deployment to the Seychelles as part of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta. The Swedish coastguard Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, joined the operation in October 2012 and lef
Expanding cooperation in the field of maritime security was the main subject discussed during another set of bilateral staff talks between Polish and French Navies on February 14 in Gdynia (Poland). Vice admiral Ryszard Demczuk, Deputy Commander of the Polish Navy and Rear admiral Charles-Henri du C
On February 14, Vice Admiral Peter Hudson CBE (UK Navy), took over command of the NATO Maritime Headquarters during a brief ceremony in Northwood, London. He takes over at a time of major change within NATO which sees Northwood as the Alliance’s sole maritime command with command of the range of NAT
Military representatives from eight Mediterranean countries from Africa and Europe came together with the U.S. Navy for the main planning conference in support of Exercise Phoenix Express 2013 in Garmisch, Germany, Feb. 5-8. Phoenix Express, set to take place in the spring, is an at-sea maritime exe
The three-day initial planning conference for Africa Partnership Station took place in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Feb. 11-13. The primary operational elements of APS include international partner missions conducted by U.S. Naval Forces Africa, and U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, with African n
The crew of frigate HMS Montrose are three weeks into two months of rigorous training off the coast of Devon and Cornwall to prepare them for deployment later this year. The sailors face fire, flood, air raids, submarine attack and other challenges – but have also been letting rip with their 4.5in m
Military leaders of the future have been treated to an exciting demonstration of Royal Naval amphibious power off the South West coast. The Plymouth-based command and control landing ship HMS Bulwark exercised off Devon and Cornwall with Royal Marines in fast boats and landing craft while helicopter
For the first time three Fleet Air Arm helicopters have touched down on the back of a Royal Navy destroyer. The trio of Lynx from 702 Naval Air Squadron in Somerset joined HMS Dauntless off the south coast as the fliers get their sea legs. 702 is used to prepare aircrew and engineers who’ve learned
At the beginning of February Rear Admiral Antonio NATALE welcomed RADM Vladimir Nikolayevich Vdovenko, Commander of Russian Federation Pacific Fleet Task Group on board the NATO flagship ITS San Marco. The meeting was a useful opportunity to discuss naval operations and in particular where there are
The Philippines: AGHAM Calls for Naval, Ship-Building Self-Reliance In light of the recent Tubbataha incident, activist scientist group AGHAM or Advocates of Science and Technology for the People called on the Philippine government to build a national ship-building industry that will strengthen the
Military Sealift Command-chartered HSV Swift (HSV 2) completed a nearly 10-month deployment to the Europe and Africa areas of responsibility Jan. 31. During that time, Swift and her crew of contract mariners and a U.S. Navy detachment conducted 38 port visits to Africa and 15 to Europe, circumnaviga
The Royal Navy’s state-of-the-art Sandown Class mine hunter HMS Bangor will visit Fishguard from February 12-14. The 52.7 metre ship will host a number of organised groups during her time in port, including local sea cadets and youngsters who have expressed an interest in joining the Royal Navy and
