Malta Naval Visits – RFA ARGUS A 135 – 23-25.11.2022
On Wednesday 23rd November, 2022 the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Role 3 Casualty Treatment/Aviation Training Ship RFA ARGUS A 135 passed Grand Harbour, Malta breakwaters at 1026 hrs after embarking pilot at Marsaxlokk Harbour Pilot Station 2 Bravo due to heavy swell off Grand Harbour (OGH) during her maiden call. She was originally built as […]
Military News – Niger receives Helicopters from Italy – 18.10.2022
On Tuesday 18th October in the presence of Niger’s defence minister Alkassoum Indattou and his Italian counterpart Lorenzo Guerini, 2 x AB412HP Helicopters were handed over at Air Base 101 in Niamey Indattou said the delivery was the result of close ties between Italy and Niger. The aircraft will be used to strengthen Niger’s Air […]
Naval News – EUNAVFOR Operation Irini nets embargo buster – 18.07.2022
Last Monday 18th July the EUNAVFOR MED Operation IRINI found cargo in breach of the United Nations (UN) arms embargo on Libya on the ro/ro vessel VICTORY RORO after she was spotted by French Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). She has been on the radar for a while when she delivered military vehicles to the country […]
Russia-Ukraine War – Ukrainian Navy destroy Russian Navy RFS ORSK BDK 148 – 24.03.2022
On Thursday 24th March a Russian Navy Project 1171 Tapir Class landing ship (NATO reporting name as Alligator) RFS ORSK BDK 148 was destroyed with 2 other naval vessels damaged in the occupied Ukrainian port city of Berdiansk by the Ukrainian Military. 24 hours before this was the scene while she was discharging military equipment […]
Ukraine Crisis – Russian Navy building up around Ukraine – 21.02.2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said Moscow does not want a war in Europe amid rising tensions over Ukraine but demanded that the issue of Kyiv’s relationship with NATO be resolved in its entirety immediately. Speaking at a joint news conference on Tuesday 15th February, 2022 after talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Putin said Russia had […]
Malta Naval Visits – USNS TRENTON T-EPF 5 – 12 to 18th Nov 2021
On Friday 12th November, 2021 the Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport Vessel USNS TRENTON T-EPF 5 called at Grand Harbour, Malta during her maiden call and the first of the Class to enter Grand Harbour passing breakwaters at 1423 hrs. The Spearhead class ships is a United States Navy led shipbuilding program to provide “a platform […]
Malta Naval Visits – ESPS PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS R 11 – 16 to 17.03.2021
The only Spanish Navy (Armada Espanola) Aircraft Carrier that visited Malta so far is ESPS PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS R 11. She entered Grand Harbour, Malta on Friday 16th March, 2007 around 0835 hrs piloted with the late harbour pilot Austin Vella. She was assisted by Tug Malta twin screw tugs FELICA and MARI. She berthed […]
Naval News – Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Launch Aircraft Carrier Warship – 19.11.2020
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have added a warship capable of carrying aircraft, missile launchers and drones to her naval fleet, state media said on Thursday 19th November, at a time of high tension between Tehran and Washington. Tension between Tehran and Washington has risen since 2018, when President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from […]
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 – FGS PLANET A 1437 – 27-28.05.2007
One of the most modern naval research ships within NATO is the FGS PLANET A 1437 (Type 751) which was seen at Grand Harbour, Malta between Sunday 27th and Monday 28th May, 2005 during a 24 hour port call. She was built by Nordseewerke in Emden with a length of 72 m; beam of 27.2 m. […]
