Training & Education
Russian ships, helicopters harass US cargo ship ahead of NATO drill in Baltic
Russian ships and helicopters reportedly harassed U.S.-flagged M/V Green Ridge in the Baltic Sea in May as it was carrying military equipment for exercise Saber Strike 2017, according to Defense News. The U.S. cargo ship was approached by Russian military assets as it was travelling near Russian wat
NATO submarine drill Dynamic Mongoose starts in Iceland
Dynamic Mongoose 2017, a NATO-led submarine surveillance exercise, began on Tuesday off the coast of Iceland. Ships, submarines, aircraft and personnel from 10 allied nations gathered in the North Atlantic Ocean for anti-submarine and anti-surface training. Submarines from France, Germany, the Nethe
Former German minehunter turned diver support vessel wraps up NATO deployment
FGS Rottweil, German Navy’s former Frankenthal-class minehunter which now serves as a diver support vessel, wrapped up her deployment to NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 2 (SNMCMG 2) and is on her way home. Rottweil is expected to enter her homeport at navy base Kiel on June 30 after five
Spanish F100 frigate concludes NATO SNMG2 stint
Spanish Navy’s Aegis-equipped frigate ESPS Blas de Lezo has concluded her deployment to NATO’s Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) and is scheduled to arrive at her home port in Ferrol, Spain, next Saturday. During her deployment, the F100 frigate served as flagship of the Sub-Group TU.02 opera
Italy hosts Algerian Navy for bilateral exercise Medex
The Italian Navy hosted its Algerian counterpart in the Italian port of Augusta for the bilateral exercise Medex-17. Medex consisted of a harbor and an at sea phase, taking place between June 12 and 16. Now in its ninth edition, the exercise is part of the 5 + 5 defense initiative aimed at enhancing
UK MoD contracts Leonardo for identification friend or foe systems delivery
The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded Leonardo a £260 million contract for the supply of next generation Identify Friend or Foe (IFF) technology. The system, called Mode-5, uses advanced cryptographic techniques and electronic technology to allow UK land, sea and air units to quickly identify frien
DCNS: French Navy’s new F21 heavyweight torpedo on qualification trials
French shipbuilder and defense contractor DCNS announced it has performed a “qualification firing” of the French Navy’s F21 heavyweight torpedo. This move brings the torpedo another step closer to being fielded on the French submarines. In addition to being fielded on the French new Barracuda-class
Only NATO member without army hosts anti submarine warfare drill
Having no standing army and operating just four coast guard vessels has not prevented NATO-member Iceland from hosting one of the organization’s largest anti-submarine warfare exercises. From June 26 to July 8, NATO ships and submarines will gather in Iceland for a series of drills aimed at improvin
BALTOPS 2017 concludes
Some 50 ships from 14 nations concluded this year’s edition of BALTOPS 2017, the largest NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea, entering Kiel, Germany on Friday. The U.S.-led drill saw participants hone their skills in air, surface, sub-surface, mine warfare and amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea. “E
USS Carney makes pit stop in Spain
U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain on June 12, for a mid-patrol availability period. Carney is currently on its third forward-deployed naval force ballistic missile defense patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. “So far, this patrol
German K130 corvette FGS Braunschweig returns from 13-month UNIFIL deployment
German Navy’s K130 corvette FGS Braunschweig is returning from a 13-month deployment to UNIFIL and is expected to enter her Warnemünde navy base on June 14. During her deployment, the corvette changed crews two times and sailed a total of 41,600 nautical miles. FGS Braunschweig was replaced by siste
NATO’s Sea Guardian operation underway in Western Mediterranean
Two frigates and a patrol vessel are conducting a maritime security operation in the Western Mediterranean as part of NATO’s operation Sea Guardian. Led by a French Navy Captain onboard French frigate FS Guepratte, along with Italian frigate Scirocco and Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel ESPS Serviola
French Navy ships engage Australian, Spanish Navy on their Asia deployment
After concluding amphibious drills with U.S. Marines off Guam recently, French Navy ships FS Mistral and FS Courbet trained with Australian and Spanish Navy ships in Australian waters. The French ships engaged Australian ships Success and Parramatta and the Spanish Navy’s Cristobal Colon in waters t
Another tanker attacked by pirates in Arabian Sea
In the second attack on commercial vessels in just two days, pirates attempted to hijack oil tanker MT NAVIG8 Providence in the Arabian Sea on June 1. The incident, confirmed by EU NAVFOR, took place in the Gulf of Oman as the MT NAVIG8 Providence was sailing 100 nautical miles east of Muscat. Accor