German Navy frigate FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has completed a six-month deployment to the EU-led migrant-rescue operation Sophia and is currently on her way home. The F123 frigate has departed the Mediterranean Sea and is scheduled to enter her homeport in Wilhelmshaven on January 26. During her ti
The Spanish Navy-operated polar research ship B.I.O. Hespérides has started the second phase of the 31st Spanish Antarctic Campaign after a three and a half-month voyage from her homeport in Cartagena. After making port calls in Mar de Plata and Ushuaia, the ship proceeded towards the Antarctic cont
Royal Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Charlottetown arrived at its Halifax homeport on January 19, wrapping up a six-month deployment with NATO’s Standing Maritime Group One (SNMG1). HMCS Charlottetown joined SNMG1 in August 2017, sailing in the Baltic Sea, Northern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean S
The US Navy’s forward-deployed command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) pulled into Valletta, Malta, on January 19, 2018, for a scheduled port visit. During her time in Valletta, Mount Whitney is providing ship tours and enhancing relationships between the two countries. “The sailors and civilian mar
The Royal Navy hosted a “multi-national fleet synthetic training group command exercise” recently at HMS Collingwood with the aim of preparing to work as part of a battlegroup with the country’s new aircraft carriers. Personnel from five Royal Navy ships took part in the latest validation exercise r
Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigate HMCS St. John’s departed Naval Station Halifax on January 16 to join the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1. The bad weather delayed the frigate’s departure by two hours, but the crew are now en route to Europe where they will represent the Canadian contributi
The Belgian Navy is now in charge of the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) after taking over from the Latvian Navy in a ceremony on January 15. Commander Peter Ramboer of the Belgian Navy relieved Latvian Commander Gvido Laudups in Zeebrugge, Belgium. Commander Laudups has led t
The recently-commissioned Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth has kicked off preparations for her rotary wing trials which are set to start in the coming weeks. According to the Royal Navy, a Merlin helicopter from Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose has been training aboard the aircraft ca
The Philippines Coast Guard has contracted French shipbuilder OCEA for the delivery of four 24-meter patrol boats and one 84-meter offshore patrol vessel, the French company announced on January 8. According to the French shipbuilder, the smaller boats will be based on the company’s FPB 72 MKII desi
Norwegian Navy Commodore Petter Kammerhuber handed over command of the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) to his Royal Danish Navy counterpart, Commodore Søren Thinggaard Larsen, in a ceremony on January 15 in Bergen, Norway. SNMG1 has been under Norwegian command since January 2017, under the
The Royal Navy’s fourth Astute-class submarine, Audacious, completed her first ever dive last week, shipbuilder BAE Systems announced. BAE Systems also shared a video of the trim and basin dive which took place over two days in Devonshire Dock, at the company’s site in Barrow-in-Furness . The operat
US Navy Rear Admiral Patrick Piercey, US Pacific Command operations director, recently paid a visit to the Royal Navy’s carrier strike group commander Commodore Andrew Betton onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. The Admiral was visiting the home base of the Royal Navy’s carriers as part of a wider UK visit
A commemorative service to mark the centenary of the sinking of Royal Navy destroyers HMS Opal and HMS Narborough. Wreaths were laid during a ceremony on January 12 in memory of the 188 men who perished when the two destroyers hit rocks off Orkney exactly 100 years ago. HMS Opal and HMS Narborough r
The Cyprus Naval Command commissioned its first ever offshore patrol vessel – Commodore Andreas Ioannides (P61) – in a ceremony on January 15 at the Evangelos Florakis naval base. The 62-meter OPV was built by Israel Shipyards and launched in September 2017. After further outfitting and trials, P61
