Training & Education
Finland Navy stages annual national shooting exercise
METU-16, the Finnish Navy’s annual firing exercise, will be held from August 22 to 26 and August 29 to September 2 in the Archipelago Sea and the Gulf of Finland, the navy has informed. Hämeenmaa-class minelayers, Katanpää-class Mine Hunter Coastal Vessels, Rauma- and Hamina-class fast attack missil
Spanish minehunter leaves NATO’s mine countermeasure group
Spanish Navy minehunter ESPS Turia has returned to her home port in Cartagena after a three-month deployment to the the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2). During her with SNMCMG-2, Turia took part in Spanish and Italian Minex exercises and later in exercises Breeze and Sea Shield
Royal Navy frigate returns from counter-Daesh deployment
Royal Navy frigate HMS St Albans returned to Naval Base Portsmouth today following a nine-month deployment to the Middle East. Hundreds of friends and families lined the Naval Base as the Type 23 frigate returned from the Gulf where she joined the US and French navies in the fight against Daesh. ‘Th
British mine experts observe Japanese 2JA 2016 exercise
Royal Navy mine disposal experts watched their Japanese counterparts work during the large-scale exercise 2JA 2016. Two British observers joined the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force at its major annual test of its minehunting forces in Mutsu Bay at the northern tip of main island of Honshu. Some
Migrant crisis: German minehunter rescues 133 off Tripoli coast
German Navy minehunter FGS Datteln rescued 133 migrants 75 kilometers north-west of Tripoli, Libya on August 1. The ship was initially tasked by the Force Headquarters to neutralize two empty rubber boats. While doing so, the ship’s crew spotted an overcrowded rubber boat in the vicinity. Upon rescu
NATO units boost exercise Sea Breeze in Ukraine
A division of NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 and maritime assets from other allied nations joined the U.S.-Ukraine co-hosted international exercise Sea Breeze in the Black Sea from July 27 to 30. Personnel from Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ukraine,
FGS Fulda joins NATO’s mine countermeasure group
German Navy minehunter FGS Fulda is scheduled to depart its homeport in Kiel, Germany to join NATO’s standing mine countermeasures group two on Friday, August 5. Manned by the 42 man strong ‘Charlie’ crew, Fulda will spend the next five months with the maritime group under the command of Captain lie
US Coast Guard, Royal Navy conduct VBSS drill in Bahrain
The U.S. Coast Guard maritime engagement team (MET) and the Royal Navy from HMS Portland (FS 79) recently carried out a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercise at a training site in Bahrain. The exercise was held between July 26- 27 aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain which included a Shi
Dutch air defense and command frigate to lead NATO Aegean Sea mission
Dutch Navy’s De Zeven Provincien-class frigate HNLMS De Ruyter will be taking over as flagship of the NATO mission in the Aegean Sea in September 2016. The German Navy said the Dutch ship would take place of the frigate FGS Karlsruhe which is currently at the helm of the Standing NATO Maritime Group
SNMCMG2 completes Black Sea deployment
Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) recently completed its third Black Sea deployment under the command of Turkish Navy Captain Ramazan Kesgin. SNMCMG2 started its deployment on July 8 in support of NATO’s assurance measures regarding alliance resolve and commitment to collective de
UK MoD inks about USD 241,3 Mln weapons system contract
The UK’s Ministry of Defence has signed a £183 million contract for a weapons system which will sit on board the Royal Navy’s new next generation Type 26 Global Combat Ship. The Maritime Indirect Fire System (MIFS) will be integrated onto the Type 26 Global Combat Ships, currently being designed by
Multi-Ship refueling keeps Operation Atalanta warships on patrol
Operation Atalanta’s warships are deployed off the coast of Somalia to ensure that the pirate attacks that terrorized seafarers in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden for a number of years are not allowed to resurge. In order to ensure that the EU NAVFOR warships are able to maintain their counter-pir
USS Ross Visits Odessa, Ukraine
Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) pulled into Odessa, Ukraine, July 23 for a scheduled port call as part of Sea Breeze 2016. While in port, Ross plans on hosting a reception as part of Sea Breeze 2016 and conducting a community relations project. “We are looking forward
Ukrainian Navy demonstrates air capabilities for Sea Breeze 2016
Ukrainian naval forces participated in the Sea Breeze 2016 air component demonstration at the Kulbakino Air Base in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, July 22. The air component of the exercise is designed to showcase the air-based capabilities of the Ukrainian Naval forces and training conducted by allies and part