Training & Education
Polish Navy to commission first Kormoran II minehunter on Navy anniversary
The Polish Navy’s first Kormorant II-class minehunter ORP ‘Kormoran’ has passed all state and builder’s trials and was officially transferred to the navy on November 17. According to a navy announcement, the minehunter is now set to be commissioned in Gdynia on November 28, on the day of the Polish
Turkish Navy decommissions 74 year old submarine rescue ship TCG Akin
A former US Navy submarine rescue ship has concluded over seven decades of service with two navies. Decommissioned by the Turkish Navy in a ceremony on November 16, TCG Akin started life as USS Greenlet, joining the US Navy as a submarine rescue ship in May 1943. After 27 years of service, USS Green
NATO’s SNMG1 concludes Mediterranean Sea stint
Ships form NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 have concluded their Mediterranean Sea stint taking part in exercises with regional navies and supporting operation Sea Guardian. The group is now heading for the English Channel where they will attend Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) drills before resumin
Turkish maritime drill Dogu Akdeniz-17 coming to a close
Over twenty ships and a number of aircraft are winding up their participation in the Turkish-hosted multinational maritime exercise Dogu Akdeniz-17. The exercise is hosted by Turkey in the Mediterranean every two years and the 2017 iteration is the 20th time it is taking place since it first started
Turkey emerges as potential buyer of UK helicopter carrier HMS Ocean
The Turkish government is interested in buying the soon-to-be-decommissioned UK helicopter carrier HMS Ocean if it is not sold to Brazil. In a reply to a parliamentary question, the UK defense ministry confirmed that Turkey sent an expression of interest to UK about the potential sale of HMS Ocean.
Dutch minehunter discovers wreck of German Imperial Navy submarine
A Royal Netherlands Navy minehunter has discovered the wreck of the German Imperial Navy mine-laying submarine UC-69, 8.5 miles off the coast of Barfleur, northern France. Tripartite-class minehunter HNLMS Makkum made the discovery in late October but the wreck was identified in November. The wreck
SNMG2 flagship HMS Ocean holds Remembrance service in the Mediterranean
HMS Ocean, the Royal Navy helicopter carrier and current flagship of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), stopped in the Mediterranean on November 11 to pay tribute to those who lost their lives in previous conflicts with an act of Remembrance. The entire ship’s company, Bravo Company of 40 Comma
Belgian minehunter BNS Primula wraps up SNMCMG deployment
Helping NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasure Group 1 (SNMCMG1) clear historic ordnance off the coast of France was the final task of the crew of Belgian minehunter BNS Primula before they headed home. From October 20 to November 7, Belgians worked with their colleagues in French waters off the Norman
NATO establishing Atlantic command to boost mobility
Defense ministers attending NATO’s North Atlantic Council meeting on Wednesday agreed on the creation of a new command for the Atlantic which would ensure better cooperation between Europe and the US and Canada. This command would coordinate the protection of sea lines of communication between Europ
Mauritius welcomes its first EU NAVFOR warship
Spanish Navy warship ESPS Rayo, currently part of the EU mission in Africa, recently became the first EU NAVFOR ship to visit the Republic of Mauritius as she pulled into Port Louis on November 4. During her time in the Mauritius capital, the offshore patrol vessel hosted Ambassador Marjaana Sall, h
EU naval forces off Somalia change command
Warships and other assets deployed to the EU NAVFOR operation Atalanta received a new commander during a ceremony held in Brussels, November 7. Major General Rob Magowan CBE handed over command to Major General Charlie Stickland OBE after 17 months in charge. Over the last 17 months Major General Ma
German frigate FGS Lübeck returning from SNMG2 deployment
German Navy’s Bremen-class frigate FGS Lübeck is on her way home having concluded 700 patrol hours as part of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2). The ship and her 200 crew are scheduled to enter their homeport of Wilhelmshaven on November 10, after two months of operations in the Aegean Sea. T
Spanish Navy stages anti-air missile firing drill in Gulf of Cadiz
Spanish Navy frigates recently took part in anti-air missile firing drills in the Gulf of Cadiz. Santa Maria-class frigates ‘Navarra’, Canarias’ and ‘Santa María’ were joined by F-100 frigate ‘Almirante Juan de Borbón’ and a number of other ships as they fired Standard SM-1 missiles. ESPS Almirante
Russia commissions second Project 23370M search and rescue cutter
Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet put the second Project 23370M search and rescue boat into operation, Russia’s defense ministry announced November 6. Named SMK-2177, the boat is the second of three next-generation multifunctional search-and-rescue cutters the Russian Navy intends to put into service by