Vessels
On This Day in History: US Navy destroyer escort sinks Japanese submarine
On May 13, 1944, U.S. Navy ship Francis M. Robinson (DE-220) sank the Japanese submarine RO-501 which previously served in the German Navy as U-1224. The U.S. Navy’s Buckley-class destroyer escort ship was patrolling off the Cape Verde Islands on May 13 when she made a sound contact and mounted a de
French Navy’s B2M ship heads for overseas base
French Navy’s d’Entrecasteaux, the first of four B2M multi-mission ships, on May 11 sailed from Brest, France to join her new homeport in Noumea, New Caledonia. The ship will now go through a period of at-sea trial before it is commissioned into active duty Once she arrives in Noumea in late July, t
Damen delivers ballistic protected patrol vessels to Nigeria
Dutch shipbuilder Damen has delivered four of its Damen SPa 1605 ballistic protected security patrol vessels to C&I Leasing, a Nigerian provider of offshore support vessels. According to Damen, the patrol boats will be used to provide security patrol and escort services for LNG tankers calling in an
German dive support ship heads for mine clearance maneuver off Lithuania
German Navy’s diver support ship FGS Rottweil (M 1061) set sail for Klaipeda, Lithuania on May 12. The vessel and its crew will join minesweepers from different nation to take part in NATO’s ‘Open Spirit’ maneuver. Open Spirit arose from from the exercises of the joint mine countermeasures squadron
ESPS Meteoro helps recover autonomous underwater vehicle
Spanish Navy’s offshore patrol vessel Meteoro recently helped technicians from the PLOCAN (Canary Islands Oceanic Platform) recover a damaged glider travelling from Madeira to the Canary Islands conducting several oceanographic surveys. The AUV, also known as Glider, was recovered 40 miles north of
Canadian Naval Reserve to assume force protection duties
The Royal Canadian Navy Deputy Commander in December 2015 ordered the creation of a new naval unit that would enhance RCN Force Protection (FP). Under Maritime Forces Pacific as supporting Commander, the Commander of the Naval Reserve (NAVRES) was mandated to work on the development of this new One-
HMS Kent to visit London
Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigate HMS Kent will visit London May 14 and 15 on her way to take part in the Battle of Jutland centenary commemorations. This year marks 100 years since the Battle of Jutland, a naval battle fought between Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy’s High Seas Flee
Spanish minesweeper joins NATO’s standing maritime group
Spanish Navy’s Segura-class minesweeper ESPS Turia will join NATO’s Standing Mine Counter Measures Group 2 which operates in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Crewed by 44 sailors and commanded by Captain Enrique Miguel García Morera, the ship set sail from Naval Base Cartagena, Spain on May 12 and i
US Coast Guard cutter returns from patrol, nabs $19M worth of cocaine
The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Steadfast returned home to Astoria, Oregon, May 11, after completing a 59-day counter-narcotics patrol in the Eastern Pacific. Over the course of the patrol Steadfast disrupted over 1,400 pounds of cocaine valued at over $19 million. Additionally, Steadfast re
Dutch, Swedish Navy contract Damen for tug maintenance
Dutch shipbuilder Damen has signed a contract with the Dutch and Swedish Ministries of Defence for a seven-year, in-service maintenance contract for five tug boats. The agreement covers all maintenance, both scheduled and non-scheduled, with the exception of the routine operational activities which
Chinese naval jet crashes into factory building
A Chinese naval fighter jet has crashed during a night-time flying exercise in Taizhou in China’s Zhejiang Province, the Ministry of Defense reported May 12. The incident during which parts of a factory were damaged took place Wednesday, around 7:30 p.m.. The ministry further said that the pilot man
Mine countermeasures a platform of cooperation for JMSDF and Royal Navy
Two Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) ships worked worked closely with Royal Navy’s HMS Middleton during last month’s mine countermeasures exercise in the Gulf, IMCMEX. Hunt Class Mine Countermeasures Vessel (MCMV) HMS Middleton trained with the JMSDF ships Uraga and Takashima for several
USNS Mercy prepares for lead role in Pacific Partnership 2016
Crewmembers aboard the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) recently participated in an abandon ship drill while in its homeport at Naval Base San Diego. Mercy is preparing for Pacific Partnership 2016, the largest annual multilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster relief preparednes
CTF 151 commander visits Japanese destroyers
The commander of the international Combined Task Force 151 (CTF) Rear Admiral Ken Cheong, visited CTF 151 units from the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF). Radm Cheong, of the Republic of Singapore Navy, visited Japanese destroyers JS Yuudachi and JS Yuugiri while they were in Oman. In atten