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
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
USS Arlington (LPD 24) conducted a fast cruise Feb. 27, at Huntington-Ingall’s Industries’ shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., to determine if the ship is ready to go to sea. This fast cruise was an important element of Crew Certification Phase II, conducted by the amphibious transport dock’s immediate s
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
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
Joint Region Marianas (JRM) and Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas personnel joined together to celebrate the observance of African-American History Month, Feb. 28. Service members and Department of Defense civilians portrayed historical figures spanning a hundred years to recount their
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110) transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Arabian Gulf for the ship’s first time, March 1. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway in the region. At its widest, the strait spans 21 miles, and offers the only sea
The Indian Navy’s major annual exercise TROPEX (Theatre level Readiness and Operational Exercise), concluded on 01 Mar 2013 after more than a month of manoeuvres, weapon firings and tactical evaluation. TROPEX was a theatre level exercise, conducted on the Western Seaboard, aimed to assess the opera
The Navy’s first littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) departed her homeport of San Diego to venture out to the Asia-Pacific region on its maiden deployment March 1. Making good on a pledge made initially by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at the 2011 Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Fr
Navy Region Southwest Fleet and Family Support Center (FFSC) conducted emergency response training in correlation with exercise Citadel Shield Feb. 28, 2013. Citadel Shield is an annual anti-terrorism exercise conducted Navy-wide by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installatio
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
The Cyclone-class coastal patrol ship USS Monsoon (PC4) departed Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Virginia Beach, Va. Feb. 27, beginning the next phase of pre-deployment training exercises. Monsoon’s theater tailored Advanced Phase Training Exercise (APTEX) is a four-day training scenario in t
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
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
