The biennial Five Power Defence Arrangements exercise Bersama Lima is starting in the South Cina Sea on Tuesday. Involving ships, aircraft and personnel from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK, the exercise will include live fire and command post exercises over a two-week period.
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond got underway from Portsmouth on September 29 for maritime security operations in the Mediterranean Sea. The Type 45 destroyer will provide reassurance to allies in the region throughout the autumn. The deployment follows a busy few months for HMS Diamond and her crew
The new flagship of US 7th Fleet’s amphibious forces carried out a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea on September 27. Joined by the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), the USS Wasp amphibious ready group (ARG) conducted an integrated Defense of the Amphibious Task Force (DATF) dri
The US Coast Guard transferred two of its decommissioned Island-class cutters to Ukraine in a ceremony at the Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, on September 27. The ceremony was attended by US Coast Guard Vice Adm. Michael McAllister, Ukrainian Navy chief Vice Adm. Ihor Voronchenko, and Ukraine’s presi
Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll on Wednesday joined a Japan Maritime Self Defense Force task group led by helicopter carrier JS Kaga for maneuvers in the Indian Ocean. Prior to drills with the Royal Navy, JS Kaga’s group was part of the first known Japanese anti-submarine warfare drill in the
The Republic of Singapore Navy commissioned two littoral mission vessels (LMV) and inaugurated a new simulation center in a ceremony at Tuas Naval Base on September 26. The two LMVs, RSS Justice and RSS Indomitable, are the fourth and fifth of overall eight vessels in their class. Shipbuilder ST Eng
NATO’s operation Sea Guardian Special Operations Command Control Element (SOCCE) achieved full operational capability last week, NATO’s Maritime Command has announced. On September 20, under Maritime Command (MARCOM) guidance and SOCCE control, an opposed live boarding exercise commenced with the pa
Polish Navy sailors assigned to frigate ORP Generał Kazimierz Pułaski recently used facilities at the Royal Navy training establishment HMS Raleigh ahead of their operational sea training. The former Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate is in Plymouth for six weeks of training with Flag Officer Sea Tra
The Indonesian Navy has recently deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with an aerial magnetic range to determine a ship’s magnetic signature. According to UAV manufacturer ECA Group, this is the first time a navy has used a drone to assess a vessel’s vulnerability to underwater mines and other
The biennial multinational naval exercise NAIAS 2018 came to a close on September 21, after a week of maneuvers in the Aegean Sea. Participating units trained in multi-threat warfare events, including anti-asymmetric warfare, maritime interdiction and counter-terrorist events. The scenario of NAIAS
New Zealand’s Anzac-class frigate HMNZS Te Mana made a port call in Sandakan, Malaysia, marking the begin of the Southeast Asian leg of the New Zealand Defence Force’s (NZDF) five-month engagement across the Asia-Pacific region. “Te Mana’s visits to Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam reflect the import
The US Navy carrier strike group assembled around aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived at Naval Base Guam for a port visit after completing participation in exercise Valiant Shield. Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser US
US Navy and coalition assets completed the US 5th Fleet Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise on September 18. As explained, the multi-faceted exercise was conducted to ensure maritime stability and security in the US Central Command area of responsibility, connecting the Mediterranean
A fire broke out aboard the German Navy frigate FGS Schleswig-Holstein while the ship was underway in the Baltic Sea on September 17. While the fire was quickly brought under control by the ship’s crew, ten sailors were injured after inhaling smoke. According to the German Navy, the fire broke out i
