Thousands of Royal Navy, Royal Marines and Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel will leave the UK today for an annual deployment to the Mediterranean and Gulf region – Cougar ’13. The long-planned deployment will see elements of the UK’s Response Force Task Group (RFTG) – the naval force formed under the
Royal Navy minehunter HMS Ledbury returned to Portsmouth on August 9 following a three- month deployment across the Mediterranean and northern Red Sea. She formed part of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2, working extensively with NATO partners from Germany, Italy, Turkey and Albania as
Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) along with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) began Certification Exercise (CERTEX), Aug. 7. CERTEX is an event focusing on the 31st MEU’s capability of doing missions such as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations or non-combatant
They have already passed a rigorous evaluation and proved themselves in an international exercise but the training never ends for the ship’s company of the Anzac Class frigate HMAS Perth. While in the Coral Sea fighting off the forces of a fictitious enemy, 182 personnel aboard Perth were simultaneo
Without fanfare, HMAS Ballarat departed Fleet Base East early on 5 August 2013 to conduct some additional warfare training before commencing a three month South East Asian and Operation RESOLUTE deployment, following almost a month of intense Unit Readiness Workups. The deployment is a milestone for
Two Australian Defence Force (ADF) reserve officers represented Australia in a country first at NATO’s annual Young Reserve Officer Workshop 2013 (YROW 13) in Brno, Czech Republic 27 July – 2 August 2013. Working alongside 47 representatives from over 30 NATO member or partner nations, Royal Austral
Sailors and an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Legal Detachment aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Rentz (FFG 46) arrived in 4th Fleets area of operations Aug. 7 to join the multinational interagency fight against transnational organized crime as part of Operation Martillo. Operation Martill
Guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) completed its second steam formation training exercise (STEAMX), during the George H.W. Bush Group Sail (GHWB GRUSL), Aug. 6. USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) and USS Truxtun (DDG 103) were also involved in the STEAMX. During the
The Dutch Landing Platform Dock HNLMS Johan de Witt joined the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta on 6 August 2013. For the next 4 months, Johan de Witt will be the EU Naval Force flagship, hosting the Force Commander, Commodore Peter Lenselink, and his multinational staff on bo
Guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) returned to its Naval Station Norfolk homeport Aug. 6, marking completion of a seven-month deployment. In January, Gonzalez deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet Area of Responsibility to support maritime security operations and promote theater security cooper
The U.S. Navy completed the first fleet firing of Raytheon Company’s Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 as part of its ongoing developmental and operational testing (DT/OT). In an at-sea test conducted from the USS Arlington (LPD 24), two RAM Block 2 missiles engaged a subsonic target in a scenario de
The U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) departed Brisbane, Australia following a five-day, goodwill port visit, Aug. 3. The city of Brisbane welcomed more than 5,000 George Washington Sailors into its shops, restaurants, schools and parks to experience Austra
Portsmouth based warship HMS Richmond sailed on August 5 for a routine seven-month Atlantic Patrol Tasking. Maintaining the continuous Royal Naval presence in the Atlantic, the Type 23 Frigate will provide ongoing protection and reassurance to British interests within the region. The Atlantic Patrol
The Dutch Frigate HNLMS Van Speijk, part of NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Shield, ensured the safe passage of the cargo vessel Maersk McKinney Moller, currently the world’s largest ship, as it transited the Gulf of Aden on Monday (5 August 2013). The 400-metre long, 165,000 ton commercial sh
