Training & Education
Albanian Navy starts first ever deployment with NATO
The Albanian Navy joined it’s first-ever NATO maritime mission by deploying its patrol boat ALS Oriku to Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 on Monday. The vessel will support NATO activities in the Aegean Sea as part of the international efforts to stop illegal trafficking and migration. ALS Oriku is an
Danish pilots conduct operation Ocean Shield’s final patrol
A detachment of 20 Royal Danish Air Force officers and enlisted service members took flight in their aircraft from the Seychelles one last time on November 19 marking the end of their deployment. The Royal Danish Air Force Challenger CL-604 was deployed to NATO standing Operation Ocean Shield. The D
NATO warships conclude Devonport visit
Ships from NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 1 left Devonport Naval Base on Monday after a routine visit. The international group, currently comprising ships from the Royal Navy and the Spanish and Portuguese navies and a German auxiliary tanker berthed in HM Naval Base Plymouth last week. SNMG 1 now s
HMS Iron Duke resumes training after maintenance period
The crew of the Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke have started a period of training under direction of Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) after completing a maintenance period. This period marks the end of her busy operational period in the first half of 2016, which saw the ship deploy as par
UK, US conclude mine countermeasure drill
The navies of U.K. and U.S. concluded their joint mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise 17-1 in the Persian Gulf, on November 17. The 38-day, bilateral exercise between the U.S. Navy and U.K. Royal navy was designed to provide an opportunity for both nations to share knowledge of MCM techniques. U.S.
Royal Navy fires flares at Spanish research vessel off Gibraltar
The Royal Navy was forced to fire warning flares at a Spanish research vessel that strayed into the Territorial waters of the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Sailors aboard the fast patrol boat HMS Sabre resorted to firing the flares after several attempts to establish communication with th
US destroyer visits Turkey for exercise Mavi Balina
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) arrived in Aksaz, Turkey, to attend pre-sail and planning conferences for exercise Mavi Balina 16. Mavi Balina 16 is a Turkish-led maritime exercise involving NATO and regional forces in the Eastern Mediterranean to improve interoperabili
US missile destroyer returns to Spain after four-month patrol
U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) returned to Rota, Spain after a four month deployment that included supporting French aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle as it carried out strikes against ISIS. Ross began its patrol in July 2016 and, apart from supporting
Canadian sailors train aboard Spanish replenishment ship
Spanish Navy auxiliary support ship ESPS Patiño is currently on its second deployment providing logistic support to the Royal Canadian Navy under an agreement between the two countries. Canada had to make arrangements with Chilean and Spanish Navies for the lease of supply ships as its own resupply
RFA Argus returns to operations after refit
The Royal Navy’s primary aviation training ship RFA Argus was recently validated for multi-spot and multi-aircraft aviation operations as she returned to operational status following several months of refit. Over the last four months Argus’ ships company comprising of both Royal Fleet Auxiliary and
German K 130 corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein returns from NATO deployment
German Navy’s Braunschweig-class corvette Ludwigshafen am Rhein is expected to return to her homeport in Warnemünde on November 17, after concluding her NATO deployment. Before she reaches home, the K 130 corvette will have sailed over 14.000 nautical miles and spent some 80 days with NATO’s Standin
Danish, Spanish NATO ships meet in Mediterranean
Danish Navy command and support ship HDMS Absalon hosted the crew of Spanish naval oiler ESPS Cantabria in the Mediterranean Sea last week. Danish Commander Per Moll Petersen who is at the helm of HDMS Absalon hosted Commander Santiago de Colsa Trueba, commanding officer of the Spanish naval oiler E
NATO explains its newest operation in 20-minute video
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has officially started a new central Mediterranean Sea operation called Sea Guardian wherein three ships and two submarines are already conducting their first patrols. The operation started November 9 and will run through November 17 in its initial phase. Furth
Reports: A Dutch submarine is caught spying on Russian aircraft carrier in the Med
Two Russian Navy destroyers in charge of protecting the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov on its deployment to the Mediterranean have detected and chased away a Dutch Navy submarine which attempted to spy on the group, Russian Ministry of Defence said. According to several media reports, including