Training & Education
Eight navies gathering for Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise
Mine countermeasures ships from eight NATO and ally navies are set to gather in the Baltic Sea at the end of May for the “Baltic Mine Countermeasures Squadron Exercise”. The exercise is hosted by the German Navy’s 3rd Mine Minesweeping Squadron and is in its third iteration. The two-week drill will
Obangame Express kicks off in Africa
Armed forces from 33 nations gathered in Lagos, Nigeria, for the start of exercise Obangame Express 2019, a US Africa Command (AFRICOM) led exercise which is now in its ninth iteration. Obangame Express 2019 will be conducted in multiple areas at sea and ashore. At-sea operations will be throughout
US Navy teams up with commercial shipping for Gulf of Aden exercise
US 5th Fleet’s Task Force 55 and commercial shipping industry representatives joined forces recently to complete exercise Lucky Mariner 19. The annual exercise concluded March 15 and was led by the task force’s Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) detachment designed to exercise comma
USS Harry S. Truman returns to sea, again
US Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) departed Naval Station Norfolk on March 16. This is the third time the ship is getting underway in less than a year. The carrier left homeport following a three month availability period used to upgrade systems, conduct maintenance
Fire breaks out aboard US Navy ship in Bahrain
US Navy mine countermeasures ship USS Devastator (MCM 6) experienced a fire aboard while it was pierside at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain on March 14. The navy said there were no personnel injuries, adding that the extent of the damage is being assessed. Sailors aboard Devastator, USS Sentry
Royal Navy’s oldest frigate returns from nine-month Asia Pacific deployment
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll returned to her homeport at HMNB Devonport, completing a nine-month deployment to Asia Pacific. The service’s oldest frigate deployed to Asia on June 18, 2018, and sailed all the way to Japan for drills with Japanese and US Navy units. The warship covered the
Scotland hosting 13 countries for tri-service drill Joint Warrior
Scotland is set to host 35 warships, 5 submarines and 59 aircraft and helicopters from 13 countries for this year’s edition of exercise Joint Warrior which is starting on March 30. More than 10,000 military personnel from the UK’s Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and their allies will carry out two
Second New Zealand Navy frigate arrives in Canada for combat system upgrades
Royal New Zealand Navy frigate HMNZS Te Mana has arrived in Canada to start her combat management system upgrades. The ship pulled into Canadian forces base Esquimalt on March 12 and will be modernized at Seaspan’s shipyard in Victoria, British Columbia. Te Mana is starting the upgrade after complet
Second River-class OPV Medway handed over to Royal Navy
The White Ensign was raised for the first time on the second of five Batch 2 River-class offshore patrol vessels, HMS Medway, as BAE Systems handed the ship over to the Royal Navy. Medway was handed over as the crew of lead ship HMS Forth are in the final stages to resume trials and training, [&hell
US destroyer Donald Cook completes eighth European patrol
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain, after completing its eighth forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) patrol of Europe and Africa. Donald Cook began its patrol Nov. 17, 2018 to conduct naval operations in the US 6th Fl
Argentine Coast Guard opens fire at Chinese vessel in San Jorge Gulf
The 67-meter-long Argentine Coast Guard vessel Mantilla fired several shots at Chinese fishing vessel Hua Xiang 801 which was caught fishing illegally in Argentine’s exclusive economic zone on March 1. As informed by the coast guard, the fire was opened after the fishing vessel failed to respond to
Second US, UK, Japan drill in Western Pacific starting this week
Assets from the navies of Japan, the UK and US are scheduled top take part in their second trilateral exercise later this week. The inaugural Asia Pacific exercise took place in December 2018. The drill will take place in the Western Pacific and is scheduled for kick off on March 14. Japan will be r
Royal Navy frigate rescues 27 from burning ship
Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll rescued 27 sailors from the Italian Con/Ro ship Grande America which caught fire in the Bay of Biscay on March 11. The frigate was on her way home to Plymouth after nine months away in the Asia-Pacific region when she responded to a mayday during the night from the 28,0
Royal Navy destroyer gets underway for deployment with French aircraft carrier
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan departed her Portsmouth homeport on March 8 for a six-month operational deployment which will include high-profile cooperation with the French Navy. Duncan will spend the first part of the deployment in the Mediterranean Sea, providing air defense to the Fre