Training & Education
Germany deploys tender, minehunter to Mediterranean Sea
German Navy tender ‘Werra’ and the minehunter ‘Datteln’ will depart their homebase in Kiel on June 20 to join the EU NAVFOR mission of saving lives and apprehending smugglers in the Mediterranean Sea. Werra, commanded by Corvette Captain Mirko Preuß and Datteln, commanded by Corvette Captain Björn F
First MH-60R helicopter lands aboard Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt
Danish Department of Defence celebrated the delivery of its first three MH-60R Seahawk helicopters by having one of the aircraft land aboard the Danish frigate Iver Huitfeldt in Copenhagen Harbor, Denmark, June 6. The helicopters were delivered by the U.S. Navy under a $686 million foreign military
US Navy sends USNS Grapple to support NATO in Aegean Sea
The U.S. will back NATO’s efforts in the Aegean Sea by deploying rescue and salvage ship USNS Grapple to the area, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said during the NATO defense ministers conference this week. NATO’s Standing Maritime Group 2 has been trying to curb people smugglers’ activities in t
Spanish minehunter joins EUROMARFOR for drills
After taking part in the advanced multinational mine countermeasures (MCM) exercise Spanish Minex-16, minehunter Duero (M-35) integrated into the European Maritime Force (EUROMARFOR) to take part in the Italian Minex-16 and the maritime security exercise MCE-16 in Tunisian waters. The Spanish M-35,
Italian, US Navy set to conduct a RAS of a different kind
After two years of cooperation on developing alternative fuels to reduce emissions and pollution, the Italian and U.S. Navy are set to conduct the first replenishment at sea (RAS) that will transfer fuel made from renewable sources. On June 16, Italian Navy auxiliary ship Etna will replenish ships f
Spanish F-100 frigate Cristobal Colon sails to US for combat system tests
Following a readiness period in her homeport in Ferrol, Spain, the AEGIS frigate Cristóbal Colón (F-105) is set to sail towards Norfolk, Virginia for a month and a half deployment along with a U.S. Navy destroyer for combat system ship qualification trials (CSSQT). These trials will take place in th
BALTOPS 2016 moves into final, tactical exercise phase
The 2016 edition of the multinational exercise BALTOPS has entered the third and final phase of serialized training operations, June 10. The final, tactical exercise portion of the exercise, continues in-port and at-sea training events which are a culmination of combat enhancement training, and forc
VIDEO: Turkish Navy sinks retired US Navy frigate
A video released by the Turkish Navy shows a retired Turkish frigate, which was formerly a U.S. Navy ship, being sunk by a torpedo during the exercise Beyaz Fırtına (White Storm) held in May 2016. The video covers the entire exercise spectrum but the moment which shows a Turkish submarine submerging
US Navy fleet commander warns against technologically advancing Russian subs
The era of U.S. Navy subsea complacency is over as new russian stealth submarines represent an increasing challenge for the U.S. ASW capabilities, a Navy official said. Writing in the June issue of the US Naval Institute’s magazine, Proceedings, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral James Foggo III, Commander of t
Japanese destroyers train with Spanish frigate in the Gulf of Aden
Spanish frigate ESPS Santa Maria, currently deployed to Operation Atalanta, recently participated in an exercise with Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) ships JS Yuudachi and JS Yuugiri in the Gulf of Aden. The three warships sailed together in close formation and their Seahawk helicopters to
German Navy to receive first ‘Sea Lion’ helicopters by 2019
The German Navy is set to start receiving first NH90 NTH ‘Sea Lion’ helicopters in the second half of 2019. The NHIndustries-built helicopters will replace the old ‘Sea King’ which has been in service with the navy for 40 years. A 1990 initiative to replace both the ‘Sea King’ and the ‘Sea Lynx’ wit
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower enters Europe
U.S. Navy’s USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (Ike CSG) entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations June 8 thereby joining the USS Harry S. Truman which already operates in the eastern Mediterranean. While Ike CSG is involved in Great Green Fleet activities and operations, Harry S. Tru
NATO search and rescue drill Dynamic Mercy 2016 concludes
NATO’s large scale search and rescue exercise Dynamic Mercy 2016 finished last week after almost two months of diverse training. The exercise was broken in 12 different aeronautical and maritime training scenarios this year. In total, 15 Rescue Coordination Centres from nine NATO countries with adja
Op Atalanta ships train with Seychellois, Djiboutian personnel
Two Operation Atalanta ships, FGS Bayern and ITS Euro, recently trained with the Seychelles Marine Police Unit and the Djiboutian Coastguard, respectively. Sailors from Operation Atalanta’s German Flagship, FGS Bayern, spent a day working with the Seychelles Marine Police Unit (MPU) during their por