Joint Australian/South African naval exercise on the cards

Joint Australian/South African naval exercise on the cards

 

Written by Kim Helfrich, Tuesday, 29 October 2013

 

Joint Australia/South Africa naval exercise in the offingWhile there were no SA Navy (SAN) ships taking part in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) international fleet review earlier this month, the possibility of a joint Australian/South Africa maritime exercise was discussed.

The Navy’s second most senior sailor, Deputy Chief Rear Admiral Mosuwa Hlongwane, represented the country at the international fleet review and spoke with RAN Chief Vice Admiral Ray Griggs.

Their discussions centred round a possible joint exercise in South African waters in 2015 as well as a visit from a RAN task team to benchmark with the maritime arm of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF).

Hlongwane’s visit was ahead of Australia taking over the chairmanship of IONS (Indian Ocean Naval Symposium) currently headed by SAN Chief, Vice Admiral Johannes Mudimu. This will happen at the next IONS symposium in Perth, Western Australia, next year.

In March this year Mudimu launched the first edition of the IONS Newsletter, a journal dedicated to naval matters affecting Indian Ocean littoral countries. It ran to 107 pages the same as the second, published in July.

Speaking at the journal launch in Pretoria, Mudimu indicated the publication was planned to be “informative and contemporary” in its quest to provide a legacy of naval learning.

That it is succeeding can be judged by the SAN Chief’s foreword to the second edition.

“Each article in the publication’s first edition highlighted, in letter and spirit, the fact it has achieved its anticipated position as a platform for expressing views, opinions and concerns and to highlight the diverse activities of IONS,” he wrote.

The 35 IONS member countries are Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Kuwait, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor Leste, United Arab Emirates and Yemen

PLA aircraft fly close to Okinawa for exercise

PLA aircraft fly close to Okinawa for exercise

 

  • Staff Reporter

    •  

  • 2013-10-29

    •  

  • 08:43 (GMT+8)
An H-6 bomber detected near the airspace of Okinawa. (Photo/JASDF)

An H-6 bomber detected near the airspace of Okinawa. (Photo/JASDF)

PLA Air Force aircraft were spotted near Okinawan airspace for three consecutive days in late October, according to Japanese national broadcaster Nippon Hoso Kyokai.

The Japanese defense ministry claimed that this is the first time the PLA has flown formations of four aircraft over Japan’s air defense identification zone in a long period of time. The formation consisted of two Y-8 early warning aircraft and two H-6 strategic bombers. The Chinese aircraft flew past the Miyako waterway towards a naval exercise hundreds of kilometers south of Okinawa.

F-15J fighters from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force were sent to intercept the Chinese aircraft should they intrude on Japanese airspace. The defense ministry is looking into whether the aircraft have anything to do with the Mobile 5 naval exercise taking place in the west Pacific.

China’s national broadcaster China Central Television criticized the actions of the Japanese fighters, saying Chinese aircraft and vessels have an equal right to conduct exercises in the western Pacific and complained of foreign aircraft and ships monitoring and harassing the movements of Chinese planes and ships in the region. At a press conference on Oct. 26, Chinese defense spokesperson Geng Yansheng said China would never trespass on foreign airspace.

China will likewise not tolerate foreign aircraft in its airspace, Geng added. He urged the Japanese side not to shoot down Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles over the East China Sea. An attack against a Chinese drone would certainly attract return fire from fighters of PLA Air Force and Navy Air Force, Geng said.

References:

Geng Yansheng　　耿雁生

Iranian Navy Warships Rescue Cargo Ship in Gulf of Aden

Mon Oct 28, 2013 4:29
 
Iranian Navy Warships Rescue Cargo Ship in Gulf of Aden
Iranian Navy Warships Rescue Cargo Ship in Gulf of Aden

 
 
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian flotilla of warships deployed in the Gulf of Aden rescued a cargo vessel belonging to the Islamic Republic Shipping Line from a pirate attack, a Navy commander announced on Monday.

“The Iranian Navy’s 27th fleet of warships rescued an Iranian cargo ship which was surrounded by pirates’ boats,” Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy for Operations Admiral Siyavash Jarreh said on Monday.

He elaborated on the events which led to the rescue of the Iranian vessel, and said, “This morning, 5 pirate boats attacked the Iranian cargo vessel in the entrance to the Gulf of Aden but they fled the scene after a few hours of conflict with the Navy’s special forces and after they confronted the swift reaction and heavy firepower of our special forces and the timely presence of the Navy’s 27th flotilla of warships in the region.”

Jarreh underlined that the Navy’s goal is providing a safe passage for Iranian and other countries’ vessels through the Gulf of Aden without killing the pirates, “but if necessary, more crushing responses will be given to the pirates’ attacks”.

The Iranian Navy in August dispatched its 27th flotilla of warships to the high seas to protect the country’s cargo ships and oil tankers against pirates.

Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the 27th fleet was dispatched after the return of the 26th fleet of the Iranian Navy, comprised of the Bandar Abbas warship and the Alvand destroyer returned home.

The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship, MV Delight, off the coast of Yemen.

According to UN Security Council resolutions, different countries can send their warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia against the pirates and even with prior notice to Somali government enter the territorial waters of that country in pursuit of Somali sea pirates.

The Gulf of Aden – which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea – is an important energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West via the Suez Canal.

Sailors Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt Mark President Roosevelt’s Birthday

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Sailors Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt Mark President Roosevelt’s Birthday

Sailors Aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt Mark President Roosevelt's Birthday

 

Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) celebrated President Roosevelt’s birthday by touring the ship’s museum, Oct. 27.

 

The museum’s design motif is derived from Roosevelt’s home in Sagamore Hill, N.Y., and is home to more than 30 artifacts. The artifacts depict the many facets of Roosevelt’s life, including his time as a rancher, a solider and the President of the United States.

“This is a warship, so you don’t really expect a museum to be aboard with authentic relics from Theodore Roosevelt’s life,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Mitchell MacKenzie. “It’s just a great piece of history.”

The ship redesigned the museum during the four-year Refueling and Complex verhaul, and it reopened in September. The museum is open to visitors every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Press Release, October 29, 2013; Image: Wikimedia

USS Massie Turns over Command of Maine Gold

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USS Massie Turns over Command of Maine Gold

USS Massie Turns over Command of Maine Gold

 

The Gold Crew of Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Maine (SSBN 741) held a change of command ceremony Oct. 25 at Deterrent Park.

 

Cmdr. Dale Klein relieved Cmdr. Richard Massie as commanding officer.

Massie, who assumed command of the Gold Crew in May 2010, completed five strategic deterrent patrols. During his command tour the crew was twice selected as the Pacific Fleet nominee for the Omaha trophy, the 2011 Olympic Bowl trophy winner for outstanding trident submarine performance, the 2012 Submarine Squadron 17 Battle Efficiency “E” winner, and the Navy-wide submarine category runner-up for the 2013 Captain Edward F. Ney Award. Massie was also selected as the 2013 Pacific Fleet recipient of the Vice Adm. James Stockdale Leadership Award.

“I have always been impressed with [Massie’s] ability to successfully lead his crew to accomplish any mission tasked. This has included numerous short notice voyage repair periods, at-sea extensions, and early underways in support of our strategic commitment,” said Commander of Submarine Squadron 17 Capt. Mark Behning.

Massie is headed to Commander, Submarine Squadron 19 where he will serve as the deputy commander.

“Let me say that I am incredibly proud to hold that title of captain, USS Maine SSBN-741 Gold, even for a few seconds. I will miss it more than you know,” said Massie to his crew. “You have done everything I have asked of you and more. Your job is a difficult one with precious little room to bask in the glory of your many accolades. Take pride in the fact that you never relax in your pursuit of excellence. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your captain.”

Klein comes to Maine Gold from U.S. Strategic Command. His previous submarine tours include USS Newport News (SSN 750), USS Seawolf (SSN 21) and USS Pennsylvania (SSBN 735).

“I want to thank Cmdr. Massie for turning over a fully capable and well trained crew. I’ve seen them in action, and I am honored to follow him as commanding officer,” said Klein.

Maine is one of eight Ohio-class Trident ballistic missile submarines stationed at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash., providing the survivable leg of the nation’s strategic deterrent forces.

Press Release, October 29, 2013; Image: US Navy

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