Military Nostalgia – JDS ARIAKE DD 183

The Fletcher Class Destroyer named for Admiral Frank F. Fletcher was the largest destroyer class ordered. It was also one of the most successful and popular with their crews. Compared to earlier classes built for the United States Navy, the Fletchers carried a significant increase in lethal firepower, including anti-aircraft (AA) weapons and increased Armor plating; this contributed to greater displacement and overall […]

Malta Naval Visits – HMS BRISTOL D 23 – 13-16.11.1987

On Friday 13th November 1987, the only Type 82 Class Destroyer in service with the Royal Navy – HMS BRISTOL D 23 entered Grand Harbour, Malta for the first time as part of the Dartmouth Training Squadron berthing at Crucifix Wharf together with HMS ROTHESAY F 107( Had 1 x Wasp HAS.1 helicopter with serial […]

Haifa Port – October 2021 Movements

The Port of Haifa  is the largest of Israel’s three major international seaports, the others being the Port of Ashdod, and the Port of Eilat. It has a natural deep water harbor, which operates all year long, and serves both passenger and merchant ships. It is one of the largest ports in the eastern Mediterranean in terms of freight volume and […]

Malta Naval Visits – USS RAMAGE DDG 61 – 12-16.07.1999

On Monday 12th July,1999 the 16th Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer (Flight I Class) USS RAMAGE with pennant number DDG 61 entered Grand Harbour, Malta assisted by 2 tugs – KATRIN & LIENI berthing starboard side alongside at Pinto 4 & 5 wharves part of VISET ( now Valletta Cruise Port). The ship is […]

Naval News – HMS BLYTH M 111 and HMS RAMSEY M 110 decommission – 04.08.2021

On Wednesday 4th August, 2021 the Royal Navy paid farewell to the Sandown Class Minehunters HMS BLYTH M 111 and HMS RAMSEY M 110 in a formal ceremony in Rosyth, Scotland.  Affiliates and friends paid the final farewell to the Single Role Mine Hunters (SRMH) at Rosyth Dockyard, honouring their 20 years of service protecting […]

Naval News – Maiden Deployment for HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH R 08 – 2021

In the afternoon of Saturday 30th May, 2021 the Aircraft carrier HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH R 08 left her home in Portsmouth ahead of her first operational deployment. She will lead the UK’s Carrier Strike Group, which is taking part in an exercise off Scotland before departing for a tour of the Indo-Pacific region. Image by […]

Naval News – Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 in Sicily – February 2020.

Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) standing maritime immediate reaction force which consists of four to six destroyers and frigates. Its role is to provide NATO with an immediate operational response capability. From Saturday 22nd February to Monday 24th February SNMG 2 units consisting of 6 naval ships was at Catania Port berthing at […]

Malta Naval Visits – INS JALASHWA L 41+ INS MYSORE D 60 – 11-12.03.2011.

In March 2011 the Indian Government had sought Malta’s assistance for the evacuation of most of the 18,000 Indian workers in Libya. Though some workers were already been evacuated on a ship from Benghazi and taken to Egypt, India wanted to focus its operation through Malta of which the Indian effort was being coordinated by […]