Hola! The Type 45 destroyer has called in at Palma to give the crew a well-earned break (UK Defence in Spain)
27th June 2024 at 12:17pm
HMS Diamond has stopped off in Mallorca as she makes her way home to the UK after months deployed in the Red Sea and Middle East.
UK Defence in Spain posted the arrival of the Type 45 destroyer in Palma, the island’s capital, expressing a warm welcome in both Spanish and English, wishing the crew a good break.
HMS Diamond made history in April when she shot down a Houthi missile – the first combat interception of this type in more than 30 years.
Her sister ship HMS Duncan is to continue protecting shipping lanes in the Red Sea from Houthi attacks.
The mission is part of Operation Prosperity Guardian – a multinational coalition to protect international shipping in the region.
Both Royal Navy Type 45 destroyers are armed with the Sea Viper missile system and equipped with the same radar systems, which can accurately detect faraway threats.
During her deployment, HMS Diamond shot down nine drones and one missile that were launched at cargo ships by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
Watch: Ukrainian Bradley shoots down Russian drone
A video has appeared online showing what’s claimed to be a Ukrainian Bradley infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) shooting down a Russian first-person view (FPV) drone.
According to reports on social media, the footage was captured near Pokrovske in eastern Ukraine.
Russian forces have been relentlessly attacking the city with artillery and missiles as part of a push to take territory in Donestsk Oblast.
The Bradley IFV involved was an M2A2 operated by Ukraine’s battle-hardened 47th Mechanised Brigade, known as Magura.
The video shows the gunner tracking the drone through the Bradley’s thermal sight before opening fire with the vehicle’s M242 Bushmaster chain gun.
Produced by Northrop Grumman, the auto-cannon has a dual-feed system allowing the crew to quickly switch between ammunition types.
It can fire all Nato standard 25mm x 137mm ammunition, with a maximum fire rate of 500 rounds per minute.
A Bradley usually carries 900 rounds, with 300 of those ready to fire and 600 in reserve.
Watch: Ukrainian Bradley fighting vehicle wins furious jousting match against Russian BTR-82
More than 300 supplied to Ukraine
More than 10,500 M242 guns are in service with the US Army and other forces around the world.
Alongside the Bushmaster, the Bradley is also armed with a 7.62mm machine gun, and two TOW missile launchers that can hit armoured vehicles more than two miles away.
The US says it has supplied Ukraine with more than 300 Bradley IFVs – 10 times more than the 31 Abrams tanks Washington has delivered.
According to the Dutch open-source outlet Oryx, around 70 have been destroyed in combat, abandoned or captured.
Watch: US Army soldier explains the pros and cons of the M2A3 Bradley
Quick responses
In the video, the Bradley appears to be driving along a treeline when the Russian drone appears.
The gunner quickly aims upwards and opens fire with what appears to be standard 25mm ammunition.
These lack an airburst function – which makes the Ukrainian gunner’s accuracy even more impressive.
On the 13th round, he hits and destroys the drone, preventing the vehicle from being attacked.
Ukrainian troops like the Bradley for its high level of protection and its ability to withstand Russian mines, high-calibre guns and drones.
It was designed during the Cold War to defeat Russian armour, and several videos have emerged showing Bradleys destroying Russian armoured personnel carriers and even tanks at close range.
Launch of Natori, the 9th Mogami-class frigate. MHI picture.
The new Mogami-class of frigates is intended for surveillance missions in waters surrounding the Japanese archipelago, including the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.
Japanese shipbuilder Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the latest frigate, the ninth of a planned fleet of 12 Mogami-class multirole frigates, for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).
Named Natori, the 133 meter-long vessel (pennant number FFM-9) entered the water during a ceremony held on June 24 at the company’s Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Nagasaki Prefecture.
The vessel is named after the Natori River (名取川, Natori-gawa) which flows through the middle of Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region of northern Japan. All ships of the class are named after famous rivers in Japan. The shipyard will now proceed to the fitting out stage of the frigate, ahead of its delivery and commissioning set for by the end of fiscal year 2025, according to the JMSDF.
This is the second Japanese ship to bear the name Natori, following the third Nagara-class light cruiser of the Imperial Japanese Navy.
As neighboring China expands the size and capabilities of its naval forces, Japan plans to defend its southwestern Nansei island chain, which spans about 1,200 km from Kagoshima to Okinawa, stretching southwest toward Taiwan by increasing surveillance missions in Japanese coastal waters. The chain includes the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands, which are controlled by Japan but also claimed by China and Taiwan.
Equipped with compact hulls, JS Natori is being built for about 51.4 billion yen ($322 million) under a contract awarded in March 2023, according to the JMSDF. As with the other ships of the class, the 3,900-tonne vessel will have a crew complement of about 90, a beam of 16.3 m, and a hull draught of 9 m.
Powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) propulsion system featuring two MAN 12V28/33D STC diesel engines and one Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine, the Mogami-class is capable of attaining a top speed of more than 30 knots. The Mogami-class marks the first instalment of a CODAG system on any JMSDF ship.
Launch of Natori, the 9th Mogami-class frigate. MHI picture.
The FFM will be equipped with a wide variety of weapons and systems as listed below.
BAE Systems 5-inch (127-mm) 62-caliber Mk 45 Mod 4 naval gun system ×1
The JMSDF plans to build a total of 12 Mogami-class frigates until the fiscal year 2023, with plans to acquire a new class of 12 FFMs from 2024 until 2028. The new frigates will essentially be improved Mogami-class ships that are set to be built to the design proposed by MHI. Naval News previously reported on the “New FFM” at this link.
These are the approximate positions of the U.S. Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of June 24, 2024, based on Navy and public data. In cases where a CSG or ARG is conducting disaggregated operations, the chart reflects the location of the capital ship.
Ships Underway
Total Battle Force
Deployed
Underway
296 (USS 235, USNS 61)
108 (USS 75, USNS 33)
75 (53 Deployed, 22 Local)
In Japan
Task Force 76 Commander’s Conference attendees assemble for a group photo aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA-6) while moored in Sasebo, Japan, June 18, 2024. US Navy Photo
USS America (LHA-6) is in Sasebo. America will change homeports later this year, USNI News has learned.
In the Philippine Sea
A C-2A Greyhound, attached to the Rawhides of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, Det. 5, flies over USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), during flight operations in the Pacific Ocean, June 24, 2024. US Navy Photo
The carrier will head to Washington state later this year for a planned repair availability. USS George Washington (CVN-73) will replace Reagan in Japan.
In the South China Sea
Chief Fire Controlman Sean Horen, from Marsh Gibbon, England, searches for contacts aboard U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), June 18, 2024. US Navy Photo
U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) is underway in the South China Sea after a port visit to Manila following Valiant Shield.
In Busan, South Korea
Sailors conduct flight operations with an E-2D Hawkeye, assigned to the ‘Liberty Bells’ of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 115, aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), June 18, 2024. US Navy Photo
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) arrived in Busan, South Korea, on Saturday for an exercise with South Korea and Japan. Following the exercise, Theodore Roosevelt is expected to transit to the Middle East to relieve USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and continue a U.S. presence mission in the region, USNI News reported on Friday.
Carrier Strike Group 9
Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Samuel Jiminez, from Santa Cruz, Calif., gets back in an MH-60S Knight Hawk, assigned to the ‘Eightballers’ of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8, after performing a search and rescue training exercise, June 15, 2024. US Navy Photo
Carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), homeported at San Diego, Calif.
Carrier Air Wing 11
An F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the ‘Flying Checkmates’ of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211, lands on the flight deck aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), June 14, 2024. US Navy Photo
The “Fist of the Fleet” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif.
The “Black Knights” of VFA 154 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Lemoore.
The “Blue Blasters” of VFA 34 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
The “Fighting Checkmates” of VFA 211 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
The “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Calif.
The “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
The “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
The “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 – MH-60S – from Naval Air Station North Island.
Cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
Destroyer Squadron 23 Destroyer Squadron 23 is based in San Diego and is embarked on Theodore Roosevelt.
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56), homeported at Naval Station Everett, Wash.
USS Halsey (DDG-97), homeported at Naval Station San Diego, Calif.
USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118), homeported at Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
In the Eastern Atlantic and Baltic Sea
Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Special Operations Capable (SOC) transit the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD-21) during the exercise Baltic Operations 24 (BALTOPS 24), June 19, 2024. US Navy Photo
Twenty NATO Allies concluded the 53rd iteration of exercise Baltic Operations 2024 (BALTOPS-24) in Kiel, Germany, on Thursday. U.S. 6th Fleet command ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) arrived in Kiel on Thursday, according to ship spotters.
The amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1), recently in the Baltic Sea for the BALTOPS exercise, transited northbound under the Storebaelt Bridge in Denmark on Wednesday and was spotted heading southbound in the English Channel on Friday, according to ship spotters.
The Wasp Amphibious Ready Group with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked deployed from the East Coast on June 1. The ARG is made up of Wasp, USS New York (LPD-21) and USS Oak Hill (LSD-51).
The 24th MEU is composed of a command element, Battalion Landing Team 1/8, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 24 as the Logistics Combat Element.
In the Mediterranean
Rear Adm. Kavon Hakimzadeh, on-coming commander of Carrier Strike Group 2 (CSG-2,) salutes and walks past the side boys during CSG-2’s change of command ceremony aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in the Red Sea, June 16, 2024. US Navy Photo
The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) departed the Red Sea on Saturday and will operate briefly in the Mediterranean before returning to its homeport of Norfolk, Va., after being deployed for more than eight months. The destroyer escorts assigned to the strike group will remain in U.S. 5th Fleet, a U.S. official told USNI News on Friday. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), currently in the Pacific, will leave for the Middle East to continue a U.S. presence mission in the region, USNI News reported.
Carrier Strike Group 2
Undated photo of a Navy Hospital Corpsman aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). US Navy Photo
Carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), homeported at Norfolk, Va.
Carrier Air Wing 3
The “Gunslingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana, Va.
The “Fighting Swordsmen” of VFA 32 – F/A-18F – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Rampagers” of VFA 83 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Wildcats” of VFA 131 – F/A-18E – from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The “Zappers” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 130 – EA-18G – from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.
The “Screwtops” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 123 – E-2D – from Naval Air Station Norfolk, Va.
The “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 – C-2A – from Naval Air Station Norfolk.
The “Swamp Foxes” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74 – MH-60R – from Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla.
The “Dusty Dogs” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 7 – MH-60S – from Naval Station Norfolk.
Cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
Destroyer Squadron 22 Destroyer Squadron 22 is based in Norfolk, Va., and is embarked on Eisenhower.
USS Gravely (DDG-107), homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, Va.
USS Mason (DDG-87), homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Fla.
The temporary U.S.-built pier aimed at boosting aid shipments to Gaza was reattached to the coast and deliveries of humanitarian assistance resumed, the Pentagon said on Thursday. The pier had been temporarily relocated to Ashdod, Israel to prevent structural damage caused by the heightened sea state.
In the Red Sea
A sailor cleans pad eyes on the flight deck as components of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Group (IKECSG), Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG-58) and USS Gravely (DDG-107), steam in formation with the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH-550), the Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Alpino (F 594), and the Horizon-class frigate FS Forbin (D 620) in the Red Sea, June 7, 2024. US Navy Photo
U.S. ships continue to patrol the Red Sea as part of Operation Prosperity Guardian, the U.S.-led multinational effort to protect merchant vessels moving through the region. Houthi forces in Yemen continue to attack merchant shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, while U.S. naval forces in the region have continued strikes against Houthi weapons that U.S. Central Command says are a threat to naval and merchant ships. Houthi forces say they are targeting ships with connections to the United Kingdom, the U.S. and Israel.
The U.N. Security Council on Jan. 10 approved a resolution calling on Yemen’s Houthi rebel group to “cease its brazen” attacks in the Red Sea.
There has been near-daily activity in the Red Sea over the last week, with U.S. Central Command forces destroying ten Iranian-backed Houthi uncrewed surface vessels, eleven uncrewed aerial systems, as well as one ground control station, one command and control node, and four radars in Houthi controlled areas of Yemen, according to CENTCOM.
On Saturday, U.S. forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea.
On Thursday, U.S. forces destroyed four unmanned surface vessels and two unmanned aerial systems in the Red Sea.
On Wednesday, U.S. forces destroyed two uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea. U.S. forces destroyed one Houthi ground control station and one command and control node in Yemen.
On Tuesday, U.S. forces destroyed eight Houthi uncrewed aerial systems in Yemen.
On June 17, U.S. Forces destroyed four Houthi radars and one uncrewed surface vessel (USV) in Yemen and one UAV over the Red Sea.
The command also denied claims from Houthi forces that the group successfully attacked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69).
In the Gulf of Aden
MV Transworld Navigator in an undated photo via Vessel Finder
On Sunday, Houthis attacked MV Transworld Navigator, a Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned, and operated bulk cargo carrier in a suspected uncrewed aerial system attack. The crew reported minor injuries and moderate damage to the ship but was able to continue its transit. CENTCOM said the attack was the fourth attack by the Houthis on Transworld Navigator.
On Saturday, Iranian-backed Houthis launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles into the Gulf of Aden.
On Tuesday, partner forces shot down one Houthi uncrewed aerial vehicle over the Gulf of Aden.
In the Persian Gulf
U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters are forward-deployed to the region under Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). PATFORSWA deploys Coast Guard personnel and ships with U.S. and regional naval forces throughout the Middle East. Initially deployed in 2003 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, PATFORSWA is now a permanent presence based out of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
In the Western Atlantic
Deck department sailors operate a rigid-hull inflatable boat during small boat operations aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), June 21, 2024. US Navy Photo
The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) arrived in Norfolk, Va., on Thursday, according to ship spotters.
In the Eastern Pacific
USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) sails through the Pacific Ocean on its way to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 on June 22, 2024. US Navy Photo
Aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is en route to Hawaii to join the Rim of the Pacific 2024 exercises
Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) departed Bremerton, Wash., on Wednesday, according to ship spotters, and returned on Sunday after completing sea trials.
As part of its transit to Japan, George Washington is participating in Southern Seas 2024, which seeks “to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation,” according to a news release from U.S. Southern Command.
In addition to these major formations, not shown are others serving in submarines, individual surface ships, aircraft squadrons, SEALs, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces, Seabees, EOD Mobile Units and more serving throughout the globe.
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) conducts a replenishment-at-sea with the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG-114), June 11, 2024. US Navy Photo
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) pulled into the South Korean city of Busan on Saturday for a port visit before carrying out the trilateral exercise Freedom Edge with South Korea and Japan. Following the exercise, the carrier is set to transit to the Red Sea, according to Pentagon officials. Meanwhile, carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) left Guam on Saturday while carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is making its way to Hawaii for the Rim of the Pacific 2024 (RIMPAC 2024) exercise held from June 27 to Aug. 1.
Roosevelt (CVN-71), embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 and destroyers USS Halsey (DDG-97) and USS Daniel Inouye (DDG-118) docked into Busan Naval Base on Saturday morning according to a Republic of Korea Navy release.
This was the first time a carrier has visited South Korea since November when carrier Carl Vinson called at Busan.
“Our military will respond to any provocation by North Korea immediately, forcefully, and to the end, and the U.S.-ROK alliance will support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region based on a close cooperative system,”said Rear Admiral Lee Jae-seop, head of the Naval Operations Command’s Maritime Operations Center, in the release.
The Theodore Roosevelt CSG is expected to conduct the inaugural iteration of the multidomain trilateral Freedom Edge exercise with South Korea and Japan this week. USNI News reported on Saturday the strike group will head to the Red Sea following the completion of the exercise.
North Korea on Monday denounced Theodore Roosevelt’s visit in a press statement by Kim Kang Il, vice-minister of National Defence for North Korea, carried by state media Korean Central News Agency.
“The DPRK strongly denounces provocative action of hostile forces with all possibilities of demonstrating deterrence,” reads the statement.
Kim added that the U.S action of bringing a carrier thousands of miles away from its home to the doorstep of North Korea was “was by no means for the purpose of “repair and maintenance” or to “celebrate” the ROK-US alliance,” according to the statement.
The North Korean vice-minister also listed several actions by the U.S and South Korea that resulted in the situation worsening such an exercise dropping a precision-guided bomb from a B-1B on June 5, the new guidelines on nuclear strategic plan from the ROK-U.S. nuclear consultative group (NCG) on June 10 and the special joint air drills staged by the U.S. and South Korea from June 17-20.
“It is a very dangerous play and adventure for the U.S. and the ROK to resort to the armed demonstration before the DPRK,” said Kim who warned that North Korea condemned the U.S. and South Korean actions and was open to all possibilities in demonstrating its deterrence.
On Saturday, carrier Ronald Reagan together with cruiser USS Robert Smalls (CG-62) left Guam following a three-day port visit according to a Navy release. The two ships arrived in Guam on Wednesday, following the Reagan CSG wrapping up participation in Exercise Valiant Shield 2024 which ended on June 18. The carrier deployed on May 16 for its last Indo-Pacific patrol as the Forward Deployed Naval Force–Japan (FDNF-J) aircraft carrier before returning to the United States later this year with USS George Washington (CVN-76) replacing it in Japan.
On Friday, Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyer helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH-183) together with U.S. Navy destroyer USS Rafael Peralta (DDG-115) conducted the Japan-U.S. bilateral exercise Noble Raven 24-2 in the waters around Guam where both ships carried out tactical drills together according to JMSDF release on Monday. Izumo together with destroyer JS Haguro (DDG-180) and submarine JS Jingei (SS-515) had earlier taken part in the Valiant Shield 2024 exercise. Izumo, Haguro and destroyer JS Ariake (DD-109) form the 2nd surface unit of the JMSDF’s Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024 mission, the JMSDF’s annual regional presence and engagement deployment.
In the Eastern Pacific, carrier Carl Vinson is currently making its way to Hawaii to participate in the RIMPAC 2024 exercise according to Navy imagery released on Saturday. USNI had earlier reported that the carrier had left on June 12 from San Diego and in April on the carrier’s planned participation in RIMPAC 2024 where it will lead a multinational CSG in the drills. Heading to Hawaii for RIMPAC 2024 also is amphibious warship USS Germantown (LSD-42) transporting nearly 300 Marines from the 15th Marine Expedition Unit (MEU) based out of Camp Pendleton to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam according to a navy release.
The 15th MEU is currently deployed in a disaggregated construct with some of its elements embarked on amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD-49) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Somerset (LPD-25) in the Indo-Pacific while the remaining portions of the MEU are in the United States though Somerset is now making its way to Hawaii to participate in RIMPAC 2024.
The failure of its rudder and roller bearings caused amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) to abort an Indo-Pacific deployment in April where it would also carry embarked elements of the 15th MEU while the MEU’s MV-22 Ospreys of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced) are now working their way to operational certification following the lifting of a grounding of all Ospreys on March 8 that was put in place in November last year when a USAF CV-22B Osprey crashed off Japan. The 15th MEU has been using CH-53E heavy-lift helicopters as part of VMM-165 (Rein.) for its Indo-Pacific deployment due to the absence of the Ospreys.
A Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft with 1st Marine Air Wing, lands on a newly designated airstrip on the island of Peleliu, Republic of Palau, June 22. (Lance Cpl. Hannah Hollerud/Marine Corps)
The Marines recently landed their first fixed wing aircraft on a recertified airfield on the Pacific island of Peleliu, which jarheads captured after brutal combat in 1944.
The KC-130J Super Hercules tanker with 1st Marine Air Wing landed Saturday, marking the first time the Corps has landed such an aircraft on the installation since the service recertified the airfield in early June, according to a Marine Corps press release.
The Marine Corps Engineer Detachment Palau, MCED-P 24.1, contains engineers from the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group. The detachment spent the past few months rehabilitating the airfield to accommodate large, fixed-wing aircraft such as the KC-130J.
“I feel privileged because I was in Peleliu in 2021 and saw the airfield transform into what it is now,” said Sgt. Brandon Gonzalez, a combat engineer squad leader who led vegetation removal and assisted with unexploded ordnance sweeping. “It truly is an honor to have been a part of this mission and see it come to fruition with a KC-130 landing.”
The second-generation River-class offshore patrol vessel has returned to her Indo-Pacific deployment (Picture: Royal Navy)
Repairs to HMS Spey have been succesfully completed thanks to the expertise and support of Japan Marine United in Yokosuka, in the Greater Tokyo Area.
The Royal Navy ship, which has been part of an extensive Indo-Pacific deployment, underwent necessary maintenance, described on X as “defect rectification”, to restore her full operational capabilities.
The vessel’s repairs were carried out efficiently, allowing HMS Spey to quickly return to a training exercise.
HMS Spey, the fifth and final of the second-generation River-class offshore patrol vessels built for the Royal Navy, is affectionately dubbed the “last of class – best of class” by her crew.
HMS SPEY recently completed defect rectification with the assistance of our friends in Japan and the support of Japan Marine United in Yokosuka. The Ship has now been fully restored to its capabilities and is back out on the high seas undertaking vital training for the Ship’s Co. pic.twitter.com/7xdEVOcheo— HMS Spey (@HMS_Spey) June 25, 2024
Working closely with Britain’s allies, the ship has been conducting security patrols aimed at combating drug-running, smuggling, terrorism, and other illegal activities.
Since May, HMS Spey has been involved in sea patrols aimed at stopping smugglers from helping North Korea develop nuclear weapons by enforcing international sanctions.
In a first-of-its-kind joint operation, the Royal Navy and its South Korean counterpart have carried out patrols around the Korean Peninsula.
HMS Spey has been assigned no permanent base and instead uses Pacific bases and ports relevant to her current mission.
HMS Spey arriving in Yokosuka in April (Picture: UK in Japan)
Before that, in 2022, the patrol vessel was involved in fishery protection operations around key islands in the Indo-Pacific, safeguarding marine resources and supporting local economies.
While the specifics of the recent “defects” have not been disclosed, Forces News has contacted the Royal Navy regarding the nature of the repairs.
The collaboration between the Royal Navy and its Japanese counterparts highlights the strong international partnerships that the UK has been involved in to maintain maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
The UK, US and Japan are set to hold regular military exercises together in the region starting next year, in addition to participating in various ongoing exercises, which will see HMS Tamar and HMS Spey remain continuously deployed in the region.
Components of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Group, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG-58) and USS Gravely (DDG-107), steam in formation with the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour (CVH 550), the Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Alpino (F 594), and the Horizon-class frigate FS Forbin (D 620) in the Red Sea, June 7, 2024. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated with a June 22 statement from Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.
THE PENTAGON – Aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) has departed the Red Sea while USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), currently in the Pacific, will leave for the Middle East to continue a U.S. presence mission in the region, USNI News has learned. “[The] Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group departed the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility today and will remain briefly in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility before returning home after more than seven months deployed in support of U.S. regional deterrence and force protection efforts, reads a Saturday statement from Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder. “Next week, the TR CSG will depart the Indo-Pacific for the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The United States will continue to maintain a robust presence in the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen peace, stability, and deterrence alongside allies and partners.”
Ryder said TR would leave the Pacific following the completion of a planned exercise.
While Ike and its cruiser escort are now in the Mediterranean Sea, the destroyer escorts assigned to the strike group will stay in U.S. 5th Fleet, a U.S. official told USNI News on Friday.
The decision comes as Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin elected not to extend the Navy’s second-oldest carrier for a third time, the official confirmed. As of Friday, the carrier had been deployed for more than eight months. USNI News reported earlier this month Ike has deployed for more days than any other U.S.-based carrier for the last five years.
“Time to bring them home,” the official said.
It’s unclear how long Roosevelt, which deployed in January, will need to stay on station before it’s relieved by the next carrier slated to operate in the region. The next carrier on the East Coast preparing to leave is USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), which is still early in its workups ahead of a deployment later this summer, USNI News understands.
The last time a Pacific carrier deployed to the Middle East was in 2021 when the U.S. evacuated troops from Afghanistan. Then Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) moved to the North Arabian Sea to provide air cover for the departure of U.S. forces, USNI News reported at the time.
Ike deployed on Oct. 13 and headed to the Red Sea, where it has been part of the U.S. response to the Houthi attacks on commercial ships and posture in light of the war between Israel and Hamas. Ike’s departure comes as tensions between Lebanon-based group Hezbollah and Israel have escalated over the past couple of days. The official told USNI News Ike’s move was not related to the recent escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.
Austin ordered the second extension for the ship in late May. Carriers sent to the Med or the Red Sea have seen multiple extensions since February 2021 when Russia invaded Ukraine to maintain a U.S. presence in the region.
USS Harry S. Truman, which went to the Med as part of the U.S. response, deployed for 285 days. It was replaced by USS George H.W. Bush, which deployed for 257 days.
USS Gerald R. Ford was the next carrier to enter the Med, which then moved over to the Eastern Mediterranean following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of Gaza. It spent 257 days on deployment, some of which crossed over with Ike.
Ike is the Navy’s busiest aircraft carrier in the past five years, with the ship deploying in 2020 for 171 days, as well.
While in the Red Sea, Ike and the other ships that made up the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group were part of Operation Prosperity Guardian. They were involved in several Central Command activities that saw them shoot down Houthi drones and weapons. Most recently, aircraft from Ike and cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) helped evacuate crews from commercial ships struck by Houthi weaponry.
USS Mason (DDG-87), one of the destroyers assigned to the Ike Carrier Strike Group transited the Strait of Gibraltar on June 14 and pulled into port at Rota, Spain, and has since left.
Crew of HMAS Stalwart line the ship’s upper decks during its commissioning ceremony at Fleet Base West, Rockingham on Nov. 13, 2021. Royal Australian Navy Photo
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) two Supply-class fleet replenishment oilers are now out of service, with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles confirming on Friday that HMAS Stalwart (A304) is now nonoperational following engine defects, joining sister ship HMAS Supply (A195) ,which has been nonoperational since March 2023.
Meanwhile, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin wrapped up drills with an RAN amphibious ship on Thursday.
In a press conference on Friday at Osborne Shipyard, Adelaide, Marles said that Supply has had issues that are well known and that his ministry was now aware of issues emerging from Stalwart. “
And my advice on this day, is that HMAS Stalwart [is] not operational. Now, obviously, that does then raise questions, given [that] both ships in the class are not able to operate at this moment,” Marles said, according to a transcript.
Marles said that he had already sought advice from RAN Chief Adm. Mark Hammond, who was also at the press conference, as to when Stalwart and Supply can be expected to be operational again and what needs to be done in the meantime to make sure the functions that were being performed by the ships still met. Marles did not elaborate further as to when the two ships would be back in service and what measures would be taken.
Both Supply and Stalwart provide fuel but also are designed to provide water, spare parts, provisions and ammunition. Each ship’s capacity is 383,050 gallons of JP5 jet fuel, 2,162,611 gallons of marine diesel fuel, 369,840 gallons of fresh water, 297 tons of ammunition and 518 tons of cargo.
Australia’s ABC News broke the news on Tuesday that Stalwart had extended a port visit to Darwin to address engine defects. The Australia Department of Defence had posted on social media channel X on May 23 that Stalwart had docked in Darwin that day, though not the reason for the ship’s docking.
Hammond stated that Stalwart had completed a period of operational assignment and border protection duties, and that the current issue arose during the transit to Darwin for a scheduled port visit. He also said RAN would carry out a technical investigation while also repairing the defect so the ship can sail safely to its home port at RAN Fleet Base West, Garden Island, and undergo a maintenance period in Perth.
The RAN chief said he was unhappy with the situation.
“As I stated at senate estimates about two weeks ago, I’m not happy with the availability of HMAS Supply, in particular. I’m tempering that with an understanding it is a first-of-class vessel, it was built during the pandemic over in Spain. And I’m comfortable that Navantia are working with us on understanding the issues and rectifying [them],” Hammond said.
Both Marles and Hammond spoke after a steel-cutting ceremony for the lead ship of the Hunter-class frigate, which is expected to be operational in 2034.
Supply has been nonoperational since March 2023 undergoing mechanical defect repairs and is expected to be out of service until 2025 because of a defective shaft that was discovered during the initial repair work. During a Senate Estimates hearing on June 6, Hammond said that the issues were caused by a complex defect but Navantia had accepted liability and that Supply would be repaired under warranty.
In the hearing, Radm. Steven Tiffen, head Maritime Sustainment, said that repairs undertaken on Supply over the last year revealed another issue with an element in the intermediate shaft, a 49-foot-long, 21-ton, 1.5-foot diameter shaft located between the gearbox and the propeller shaft. The worse-case scenario for a replacement part to arrive would be 40 weeks, he added.
Hammond said what went wrong was the shaft alignment process while Supply was being constructed in Spain, despite a certification authority verifying the process. Australia was unable to fly people to Spain to conduct their own verification because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is unclear how the nonoperational status of both ships will impact RAN operations as the RAN could reasonably expect to draw on replenishment from partner-nation fleet oilers from the U.S. and Japan in the Indo-Pacific, as well as docking into Singapore while operating in the South China Sea. At the same time, the RAN currently only has one ship, destroyer HMAS Sydney (DDG-42), on a regional presence deployment, though future deployments and sustained presence operations may be affected. The RAN has yet to deploy a naval task group this year for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF’s) annual Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE24) presence and engagement deployment, which also usually involves one of the Supply-class ships. Plans for IPE24 may have to be revised in light of the current situation.
Sydney left its homeport at RAN Fleet Base East in its namesake city on June 10. An Australian Defence Department release on Thursday said the destroyer will participate in the Rim of the Pacific 2024 exercise that runs from June 27 to Aug. 1 in and around the Hawaiian Islands, Exercise Pacific Dragon and Operation Argos—the ADF’s contribution to international efforts to enforce United Nations Security Council sanctions against North Korea. Pacific Dragon is a biennial multinational air and missile defense exercise held in Hawaii, usually following after RIMPAC.
In Australia on Thursday, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) 24.3 concluded the Wet and Dry Exercise Rehearsal (WADER) aboard RAN amphibious assault ship HMAS Adelaide (L01), which began on June 2.
A Marine Corps release said that the exercise aimed to enhance amphibious capabilities and strengthen the partnership between the U.S. and ADF and that 47 Marines and four Sailors with MRF-D 24.3 were embarked on Adelaide alongside the Australian Amphibious Force (AAF) to participate in a comprehensive training mission designed to enhance joint operational capabilities.
The release also ssaid that the early stages of WADER included MV-22B Osprey deck-landing qualifications executed by Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268 (Reinforced).
“What a great opportunity it is to have our pilots conduct landings on the HMAS Adelaide, further strengthening our professional relationship with the Australian Defence Force,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Brandon Pope, the commanding officer of VMM-268, MRF-D 24.3, in the release. “The return to flight for the squadron has been a methodical approach to re-establish the aircrew proficiency required to execute training events such as this one safely.”
One of the key components of WADER was the integration of fires capabilities, which involved coordination between MRF-D’s littoral fires cell and the AAF’s Supporting Arms Coordination Center, according to the release. Medical training involving U.S. Navy medical subject matter expert exchanges with ADF medical personnel aboard Adelaide were also carried out. The culmination of the exercise included a significant ship-to-shore movement, which tested and demonstrated the practical aspects of amphibious ship-to-shore operations, stated the release
The U.S. military has ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America’s response to the Houthi attacks, to return home after a twice-extended tour. (Information Technician Second Class Ruskin Naval/U.S. Navy)
By Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America’s response to the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, is returning home after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II.
The San Diego-based USS Theodore Roosevelt will take the Eisenhower’s place after a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific, said Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder on Saturday.
The Pentagon is wrestling over when the Eisenhower and its strike group should return home. And if they do return — what can replace them?
By Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press and Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press
The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seoul’s ongoing tensions with North Korea.
The Eisenhower, based in Norfolk, Virginia, had already reached the Mediterranean Sea, said a U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss ship movements. Flight-tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter associated with the Eisenhower flying above the Mediterranean just off the coast of Port Said, Egypt, on Saturday night.
The Eisenhower, which had its deployment extended twice, had repeatedly been targeted by false attack claims by the Houthis during its time in the Red Sea. Saree on Saturday night claimed another attack on the carrier — but again provided no evidence to support it as the ship already had left the area. Central Command called the claim “categorically false.”
Meanwhile, an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden but apparently caused no damage, authorities said Saturday, in the latest strike on the shipping lane by the group.
The Tutor’s sinking marked what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of strikes on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.
The captain of the ship targeted late Friday saw “explosions in the vicinity of the vessel,” the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A later briefing by the U.S.-overseen Joint Maritime Information Center said the vessel initially reported two explosions off its port side and a third one later.
“The vessel was not hit and sustained no damage,” the center said. “The vessel and crew are reported to be safe and are proceeding to their next port of call.”
The Houthis, who have held Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, since 2014, claimed the attack Saturday night. Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, identified the vessel targeted as the bulk carrier Transworld Navigator.
The U.S. military separately destroyed three drone boats in the Red Sea over the last day, Central Command said.
The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.
The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war.
Associated Press writer Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.
Military Times Night and Weekend Editor Beth Sullivan contributed to this story.
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