Over ten ships from four nations are participating in the annual, Royal Navy of Oman-hosted exercise Khunjar Haad that takes place in the Gulf of Oman. Ships from the Royal Navy of Oman are joined by U.S., French and Royal Navy ships in gunnery and air defense exercises aimed at maintaining the sail
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of UAE, commissioned the sixth and final Baynunah-class corvette on February 20. The commissioning ceremony for the corvette, built by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB), took place in Abu Dhabi at the IDEX 2017 exhibition. The 72-
European missile manufacturer MBDA has been awarded a contract to supply additional Marte MK2/N anti-ship missiles to the UAE Navy, the company announced on Monday. This is a follow on to the contract signed in February 2009 for the supply of Marte missiles. Each high speed multi-role combat vessel
The “suicide boats” used by Yemen’s Houthi fighters during the recent attack on Royal Saudi Navy frigate Al-Madinah were actually unmanned boats, a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral told Defense News in a recent interview. Official reports from the January 30 incident said the frigate was attacked by three boa
French Marine Nationale anti-air frigate FS Forbin (D620), which is currently part of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 50, assisted in the rescue of mariners from a sinking dhow in the Gulf of Oman on February 13. Having received word of a dhow taking on water, Forbin directed their helicopter, an NH90 w
U.S. Navy’s carrier strike group centered around aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush has started air strikes against ISIL from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The strikes, which started on February 13, are in support of the U.S. operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) aimed at fighting the Islamic State o
British and American battlefield medics practised wartime operations and procedures off the coast of the United Arab Emirates aboard the UK flagship HMS Ocean. A specialist US medical team joined the helicopter assault group for the casualty drill, one of the tests of the Plymouth-based warship in h
The first Royal Navy establishment overseas in nearly half a century will be ready for sailors and marines to move into by November, the Royal Navy said. Workers are on track to complete the future HMS Jufair in Bahrain that will provide accommodation, welfare and support facilities for up to 300 mi
Navy ships from Australia, Great Britain, France and the U.S. concluded their participation in the multi-national exercise Unified Trident that was held in the Persian Gulf. More than 15 ships, plus numerous aircraft from the four navies completed many different evolutions from January 31 to Februar
A Saudi Arabian Navy frigate was attacked by Houthi rebels off the coast of Yemen on January 30. Initial reports claimed the damage was inflicted by an anti-ship missile fired from land, similarly to what happened in October last year when UAE Navy vessel HSV Swift was hit by a modified C802 cruise
The U.S. Navy said on January 29 that one of its destroyers helped a stranded Iranian dhow on January 27. Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) responded to a distress call from an Iranian-flagged dhow and provided assistance to the 75-foot stranded dhow by supplying 17 gall
Danish Navy’s Iver Huitfeldt-class frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes is set to depart its homeport on January 26 and head towards the Mediterranean Sea where it is to meet U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush. Danish parliament decided last Friday to send a frigate in addition to some 60 spec
U.S. Navy’s George H.W. Bush carrier strike group (GHWBCSG) is set to depart on a deployment to Europe and Middle East on Saturday, January 21. Nearly 6,000 sailors assigned to the carrier strike group will depart Norfolk and Mayport, Florida, after they spent more time ashore than it was anticipate
U.S. Navy’s amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) was alongside Manama, Bahrain, January 9-15, for the ship’s first port visit since entering the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. Makin Island, and its crew of more than 2,400 sailors and marines, visited Bahrain to replenish supplies, pe
