Training & Education
German F123 frigate FGS Bayern joining NATO’s SNMG2 in Aegean Sea
German Navy’s Brandenburg-class frigate FGS Bayern is scheduled to get underway from her homeport of Wilhelmsaven on March 7 to start a six-month deployment to the Aegean Sea. During their time in the Aegean Sea, the frigate and her crew will operate as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SN
US Navy destroyer exits the Black Sea
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) departed the Black Sea on March 3, after conducting maritime security operations. The US Navy vessel entered the Black Sea in February 2018, joining sister ship USS Ross. Carney’s crew visited Varna for a scheduled port visit to st
EU, NATO agencies discuss closer cooperation in the Med
The commanders of NATO’s operation Sea Guardian and EU-led operation Sophia met at sea on February 24 to discuss closer tactical level coordination and information sharing in the central Mediterranean Sea. The task group commander for NATO’s maritime security operation Sea Guardian (OSG) visited the
Photo: Italian FREMM frigate Carlo Margottini on maiden Suez Canal transit
The Italian Navy’s FREMM frigate ITS Carlo Margottini, in service since February 2014, recently achieved another first en route to her Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea deployment. Having sailed from her homeport in La Spezia on February 20, ITS Carlo Margottini transited the Suez Canal for the the first
France, US conclude Bois Belleau 100 amphibious cooperation
US sailors and marines have concluded two months of cooperation with their French counterparts aboard the French Navy amphibious assault ship BPC Tonnerre. Approximately 150 US personnel spent the last two months working together with the French task group composed of BPC Tonnerre and Horizon-class
French Navy starts annual Jeanne D’Arc mission
Two French Navy ships, joined by UK marines and sailors and their Wildcat helicopters, got underway from Toulon naval base on February 26 to start a five-month deployment to Asia-Pacific. The Jeanne D’Arc mission is an annual deployment undertaken by French Navy ships over a five-month period. Last
US destroyers continue Black Sea patrol after Bulgaria, Romania visits
US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Carney (DDG 64) and USS Ross (DDG 71) are underway in the Black Sea again after completing port calls in Varna, Bulgaria, and Constanta, Romania, respectively. The two destroyers entered the Black Sea transiting the Bosphorus two days apart on February 17
NATO mine counter measure group visits Bar, Montenegro
Ships deployed to NATO’s Mine Counter Measures Group Two (SNMCMG2) arrived in Bar, Montenegro, for a port call on February 23. Led by Royal Navy Commander Justin Hains, the group arrived in Montenegro after sailing from Marmaris, Turkey last week. The task group consists of the flagship HMS Enterpri
NATO minehunters discover WWII mines in Oslo Fjord
Mine countermeasure ships deployed to NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) worked with the the Royal Norwegian Navy recently to locate WWII ordnance in the waters of Oslo Fjord. The group detected a total of 23 mines from and four torpedoes over the last two weeks. Conducting min
German Navy corvette deploying to SNMG1
German Navy’s Braunschweig-class corvette FGS Erfurt is scheduled to get underway from her Warnemünde homeport on February 26 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). The corvette will spend most of her time in the North and Baltic Seas where SNMG1 regularly operates. Erfurt’s deployment
German minehunter FGS Bad Bevensen joining SNMCMG1
German Navy’s Frankenthal-class mine hunter FGS Bad Bevensen is scheduled to depart its Kiel homeport on February 25 to join the Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group 1 (SNMCMG1). The minehunter will spend the next five months operating in the North and Baltic Seas. FGS Bad Bevensen will be unde
Electrical issues force German tanker to withdraw from Norwegian drill
German Navy’s 40-year-old tanker FGS Spessart was forced to abort its participation in a Norwegian-hosted exercise in the North Sea after experiencing electrical issues. Spessart was part of a multi-ship group maneuvering off Bergen, Norway, during two linked exercises – the Norwegian fleet exercise
HMS Sutherland to join major Australian Navy fleet exercise Ocean Explorer
A fleet of Royal Australian Navy ships departed Fleet Base East in Garden Island, Sydney, on Tuesday to start exercise Ocean Explorer. Ocean Explorer will see two submarines, ten ships and embarked aircraft take part in war games off the east coast of Australia. They will be joined briefly by Royal
Dutch submarine HNLMS Walrus concludes Portsmouth visit
Royal Dutch Navy submarine HNLMS Walrus paid a weekend visit to Portsmouth, UK, becoming the first submarine in two years to visit the Royal Navy base. Walrus is on the return leg of her operational sea training which she is undergoing after completing a dry-dock maintenance in 2017. Prior to enteri