Wednesday, May 9, 2012

May 9th Updates


SHIP LOCATIONS:
  • Ship & Group Locations Checked / Updated (5/8, 9)
  • PHOENIX EXPRESS 2012: Exercise begins May 7th at Souda Bay; Participants include S. European Navies, US Navy and African Navies;
  • RIMPAC 2012: added to grid (June 29 – Aug 3); Participants include 22-nations, 42-ships, 6-subs, 200-aircraft, 25,000-personnel in the world's largest international maritime exercise

SHIP LOGS:
May 6
  • USS Louisiana (SSBN-743): returns to HOMEPORT, ends strategic deterent patrol
  • USS McClusky (FFG-41): assist USS Nicholas interdict drug ship (...on SOUTHCOM patrol?)
  • USS Nicholas (FFG-47): Interdicts drug ship in W. Caribbean (...on SOUTHCOM patrol?)
  • USS Underwood (FFG-36): transits Panama Canal (...currently on SOUTHCOM Deployment)

May 7
  • USS New York (LPD-21): conducting air/sea ops in Mediterranean (...part of Iwo Jima ARG, might be in Phoenix Express)

May 8
  • HMS Montrose (FFG): completed visit to Burmuda, returning to UK (...ETA @ UK on 5/11 @ 10:00 AM)
  • USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7): port visit @ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • USS Nimitz (CVN-68): conducting Carrier Qualifications in Pacific off S. California
  • USS Wasp (LHD-1): returns home

May 9
  • China's S. Sea Fleet: conducts amphibious exercise; Participants include Amphibious ship (possibly LPD), 1-Marine Brigade, and 1-Airborne Naval Regiment; Location or objective of exercise not identified (CNTV)
  • HMS Ocean (LHD): @ London, open ship for tours, will be travelling to Sunderland soon, then return for the Olympics
  • HMS St. Albans (FFG): @ Iceland, commemoration of WWII convoys to USSR

GROUND UNITS LOGS:
  • Ground units locations updated per DOD reports, up to (May 8th)
  • I MEF / 1st Marine Division: 1st Marine Logistics verified in Helmand (KIA Report)
  • I MEF / 1st Marine Division: 7th Regiment removed from grid, possibly rotated home and replaced by 11th Regiment
  • 10th Mountain Division: 10th Sustainment Brigade verified in Logar Province, Afghanistan (KIA Report)
  • UK 45 Commando: completes SCOTTISH LION EXERCISE, is now the Royal Marines READY unit
  • New Ground Units Log Posted, tell me what you think...

NOTEWORTHY NEWS:
May 7
  • LIBYA: Russia lifts arms embargo on Libya, clearing the way for renegotiation of arms sales and maintenance contracts (...expecting France and Russia to vie for dominance in Libya, the winner becoming the foreign policy lead in the middle east for Libya, and gravitation towards that camp, either pro-Europe or pro-Russia / China / Iran)(Ria Novosti)
  • RUSSIA: President Putin orders development of naval power in artic and pacific theaters (Ria Novosti)

May 8
  • RUSSIA: is developing a new liquid fueled heavy ICBM (100 ton) by 2022, able to penetrate the US / Europe Missile Defense system (Ria Novosti)

May 10
  • UK: The UK says they've decided to cut back on year-round anti-pirate patrols off Somalia with Frigates; It takes 4-FFG to patrol all year, and 4-FFG were recently cut from the budget; The Royal Navy is no longer able to sustain continuous piracy patrols (...the Falklands and Gulf take precidence ...NOTE: last month EU changed the ROE, allowing the bombardment of pirate facilities ashore, and they're seeking greater participation and coordination with India).

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