A NATO-sponsored submarine escape and rescue (SMER) exercise kicked off in Turkey on September 8. Dubbed Dynamic Monarch 2017, the exercise is the tenth in a series of live SMER drills and will run through September 21. Dynamic Monarch’s venue is the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, off Aksaz Turkey. Unit
The Swedish Armed Forces on Monday kicked off Aurora 17, an international exercise dubbed as Sweden’s “biggest drill in decades”. While Sweden itself is not a member of NATO, over 20,000 troops from the country and other NATO members, including the US, are set to participate in the three-week exerci
Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond stepped in for helicopter carrier HMS Ocean as NATO flagship to allow the Royal Navy fleet flagship to bring vital supplies to Caribbean areas affected by Hurricane Irma The fleet flagship HMS Ocean was originally planned to lead NATO’s Standing Maritime Gr
Defence Minister Harriett Baldwin on September 7th launched plans for the procurement of the Royal Navy’s new Type 31e frigates – a day after the announcement of a new National Shipbuilding Strategy. The competition, unveiled by senior leaders from the Ministry of Defence, Royal Navy and Defence Equ
Royal Navy fleet flagship HMS Ocean has been diverted from a planned task to provide vital humanitarian aid to Caribbean islands devastated by Hurricane Irma and in the path of Hurricane José. The helicopter carrier and amphibious assault ship will join Royal Fleet Auxiliary Mounts Bay, providing lo
On 28th August, Italian warship, ITS Virginio Fasan, welcomed representatives of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) during a port visit to Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman. Senior Officers from the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) were received on board by Captain Michel Orini, Commanding Officer, of EU NAVFOR fla
German Navy frigate FGS Brandenburg is on her way home after spending six months as the lead ship of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the Aegean Sea. Brandenburg is set to return to her homeport in Wilhelmshaven on September 8 after an eventful deployment. The frigate’s mission was to lead a NATO
Royal Navy warship HMS Diamond has sailed from Portsmouth Naval Base for a nine-month operational deployment. She will be taking over the Navy’s long-standing commitment to the region from HMS Monmouth, a Type 23 frigate based in Plymouth. She is the second Type 45 destroyer to sail on operational d
On Wednesday 30th August, during her port visit to Djibouti, EU Naval Force warship ESPS Rayo conducted Local Maritime Capacity Building (LMCB) training in support of the Djiboutian Coast Guard. The training began with a briefing on board ESPS Rayo for the Djiboutian Coast Guard personnel. This was
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) departed the Black Sea, Sept. 1, after conducting maritime security operations and theater security engagements with allies and partners. “Our time in the Black Sea provided the opportunity to continue working closely with NATO all
Families and friends of sailors who have been on operations in the Gulf for eight months welcomed back their loved ones as they returned to Portsmouth Naval Base. Royal Navy minehunter HMS Chiddingfold returned to her home port on September 1st, following three years in the Gulf. Her 47-strong ship’
Getting underway from Naval Base Plymouth on Tuesday, helicopter carrier HMS Ocean started her final deployment as a commissioned Royal Navy ship. The fleet flagship – a role that will be taken by the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth – will be joining NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 in the
The Russian Navy’s final two diesel-electric submarines have reached the Mediterranean Sea en route to their permanent homeport in the Black Sea, Russian defense ministry announced on August 28. Project 636.3 (NATO reporting name: improved Kilo-class) submarines Kolpino and Veliky Novgorod got under
On his most recent trip to Oman, UK defense secretary Michael Fallon signed a memorandum of understanding and services agreement that will allow Royal Navy vessels to use facilities at Duqm port before the UK Joint Logistics Support Base at the port is completed. Once completed, the UK Joint Logisti
