April 27th Weekly Update

WORLD SUPERPOWER NAVAL OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 21 - 27)

CHINA PLAN Liaoning (Carrier) (Apr 24) PLAN Deputy Chief of Staff says China's next carrier needs to be bigger (People's Daily ) 13th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Apr 23) 13th ETF @ Toulon, France for 5-days (People's Daily ) (Apr 19) 13th ETF @ Lisbon, Portugal, end port visit (People's Daily ) 14th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Apr 22) @ Gulf of Aden, Joint training with Italian landing ship ITS San Marco (Italian Ministry of Defense ) SOUTH FLEET (Apr 23) PLAN Surveillance ships @ Diaoyu Islands monitor Japanese ships, reinforced by five more PLAN ships (People's Daily ) (Apr 20) South Fleet DDG-TF @ Sanya, Hainan, China, end W. Pacific training (People's Daily ) FRANCE FS Latouche-Treville (Destroyer) (Apr 18-19) @ Liberia, train with Liberian Coast Guard (Defense Ministry ) FS Montcalm (Destroyer) (Apr 13-17) @ Goa, India, joint exercises with Indian Navy (Defense Ministry ) FS Tonnerre – Jeane de Arc Deployment (Apr 12) @ Indian Ocean, begin anti-piracy patrol (Defense Ministry ) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE (Apr 22) DDG – Ad. Panteleyev Group @ Bandar Abbas, Iran (Rusnavy ) NORTH FLEET (Apr 22) BCGN – Pyotr Veliky @ Barents Sea, Anti-Submarine EX (RIA Novosti ) PACIFIC FLEET – RFS Shaposhnikov (Destroyer) (Apr 21) DDG – Shaposhnikov TF @ Vladivostok, return from Indian Ocean Piracy patrol UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Frigate) (Apr 22) @ Togo, sailors attend golfing tournament with Lome Golf Club (Royal Navy ) HMS Bulwark (LPD) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) HMS Diamond (Destroyer) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (Royal Navy ) HMS Dragon (Destroyer) (Apr 24) @ Gulf of Aden, begin anti-piracy patrol (Royal Navy ) HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) HMS Monmouth (Frigate) (Apr 24) @ Gulf of Aden, relieved by HMD Dragon (Royal Navy) HMS Sutherland (Frigate) (Apr 24) @ E. coast of Scotland, Fleet Commander V.Adm. Jones visits ship (Royal Navy ) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) HMS Westminster (Frigate) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) UNITED STATES USS GHW Bush (CVN-77) (Apr 20) @ Atlantic, concludes 5-day Fleet Replacement Squadron carrier qualifications with VFA-106 (Fighters), VAW-120 (Early Warning), and VRC-40 (Logistics) (US Navy ) USS Mahan (DDG-72) (Apr 14) @ Souda Bay, Greece, COMREL project to Mouzouras Village (US Navy ) USS Momsen (DDG-92) (Apr 22) @ Everett, WA, Begin WESTPAC Deployment (US Navy ) USS Stennis CSG (Apr 21) @ Pearl Harbor, HA, en-route home from CENTCOM deployment (US Navy ) USS Wasp (LHD-1) (Apr 20) @ Pensacola NATTC, FL, Flight Deck Crash & Salvage teams complete refresher training (US Navy ) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS INS Viraat (Carrier) (Apr 22) @ New Delhi, India, Def Minister Antony says Viraat can continue for another 3-years (The Hindu ) ITS San Marco (LHD) (Apr 22) @ Gulf of Aden, joint training with Chinese 14th ETF (Italian Ministry of Defense) SPAIN (Apr 16-25) @ Cartagena, Spain, Naval Exercise MINEX-13 for counter-mine warfare (Armada ) SPS Mendez Nunez (Frigate) (Apr 18) @ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, visited by Saudi Naval delegation, President of Navatia, and Spanish ambassador to SA (Armada )

WORLD SUPERPOWER GROUND OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 21 - 27)

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS FRENCH GUYANA (Apr 14-18) @ Operation Gecko by 9th Marine Infantry Regiment and Guyanese police (Defense Ministry ) ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Apr 23) US 10th Mountain Division, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade – KIA @ Pul-E-Alam (DOD ) (Apr 23) UK 4th Mech Brigade @ London for parade, return from Afghanistan (Royal Navy ) SYRIA (Apr 25) US says Syrian army used SARIN gas in small amounts against civilians and rebels, and is seeking UN probe (RIA Novosti ) EUROPE FRANCE (Apr 15 – May 4) @ Scotland, UK, EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (Defense Ministry ) FAF Atlantic II Patrol Aircraft FAF-SAG (Hawkeye, 8-Super Etendards, 7-Rafale FS Marne w/ Alouette III helo U/I SSN FRANCE – CARIBBEAN (Apr 17-26) CARIB: @ Guadeloupe, Exer CARIBBEAN 2013, bi-annual emergency relief exercise (Defense Ministry ) FRANCE – CHAD (Apr 11) CHAD: @ Airbase 172, Chad, Commander of the Franco-German Brigade visits (Defense Ministry ) (Mar 15 – Apr 3) CHAD: @ Tibesti, Chad, 3rd Hussars Regiment patrol province, provide medical assistance to population (Defense Ministry ) UK (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) 16 Regiment Royal Artillery 29 Commando Reg Royal Artillery (MOD ) 42 Commando RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters

MAPPING UPDATES (April 7 - 13)

NONE

April 20 Weekly Update

WORLD SUPERPOWER NAVAL OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 14 - 20)

CHINA PLAN Liaoning (Carrier) (Apr 19) @ Qingdao, preparing for trials at-sea and flight landing exercises (Peoples Daily ) 13th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Apr 15) 13th ETF @ Lisbon, Portugal for 5-day visit (Peoples Daily ) (Apr 13) 13th ETF @ Morocco, end visit (People's Daily ) SOUTH FLEET (Apr 17) South Fleet TF @ Diaoyu Islands, PLAN Lanzhou & Hengshui patrol (Peoples Daily ) (Apr 15) South Fleet TF @ Philippine Sea, PLAN Lanzhou & Hengshui drill (People's Daily ) FRANCE FS Courbet (Frigate) (Apr 12) @ Djibouti, end anti-piracy patrol (Defense Ministry ) FS Vendemiaire (Frigate) (Apr 16) @ Shanghai, China for 6-days (Peoples Daily ) RUSSIA RFS Vladivostok and Sevestopol (LHD) (Apr 16) Russia plans to base new ships in Far East at Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (RIA Novosti ) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Bulwark (LPD) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) HMS Diamond (Destroyer) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (Royal Navy ) HMS Dragon (Destroyer) (Apr 17) @ Suez Canal, en route to Arabian Gulf (Royal Navy ) HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Apr 19) @ Galloway, Scotland, JOINT WARRIOR air assault with 42 Commando (Royal Navy ) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) HMS Sutherland (Frigate) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) RFA Wave Knight (Support) (Apr 17) @ Ft. De France, Martinique for 3-day visit, preparing for regional exercise, currently deployed to N. Atlantic humanitarian / anti-drug patrol (Royal Navy ) HMS Westminster (Frigate) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) UNITED STATES USS Asheville (SSN-758) (Apr 16) @ Yokosuka, Japan ...currently on WESTPAC Patrol (US Navy ) USS Bataan (LHD-5) (Apr 10) @ Atlantic, conducting training operations with HMLA-167 USS Freedom (LCS-1) EST NEXT – CARAT (various Phases) (Apr 18) @ Singapore for IMDEX 2013 (US Navy ) USS GHW Bush (CVN-77) (Apr 17) @ Atlantic, conducting training operations with VFA-106 and VRC-40 USS Nimitz CSG (Apr 19) @ Coronado, CA, DEPLOY for WESTPAC / CENTCOM (US Navy ) (Apr 9) DDG Stockdale @ Jebel Ali, UAE (US Navy ) USS Peleliu ARG (Apr 16) @ Hong Kong, Host luncheon with PLA army garrison (US Navy ) USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) (May 6-30) @ Bahrain, IMCMEX-13, international mine countermeasures exercise with 30-nations participating (US Navy ) USS Preble (DDG-88) (Apr 19) @ San Diego, Depart for WESTPAC deployment (US Navy ) USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) (Apr 15) @ Norfolk, CSG-12 change of command ceremony (US Navy ) USS Vinson (CVN-70) (Apr 19) @ San Diego, preparing for Mid-Cycle Material Assessment (US Navy ) (Apr 17) @ Pacific, Unit-Level Training OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS NONE

WORLD SUPERPOWER GROUND OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 14 - 20)

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS USA (Apr 15) @ Boston, MA, BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Apr 9) US 28th Infantry Division, 28th CAB (NG-PA) – KIA @ Pachir Wa Agam District, Nangahar Province (DOD ) RUSSIA (Apr 18) new Yars-M (SS-29) modern MIRV'ed ICBM systems will begin delivery for active duty by 2014 (RIA Novosti ) RUSSIA – GEORGIA (Apr 19) @ Gutauta, Abkhazia (Georgia), Russian 131st Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade receive 40 BTR-82A upgraded APCs with AC's and Trona-1 positioning systems (RIA Novosti ) RUSSIA – KYRGYZSTAN / TAJIKISTAN (Apr 19) @ Moscow, Agreements with Kyrg. & Taj. Signed, base agreements extended (RIA Novosti ) SYRIA (Apr 18) US sending additional troops to Jordan (Zero Hedge ) EUROPE FRANCE (Apr 15 – May 4) @ Scotland, UK, EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (Defense Ministry ) FAF Atlantic II Patrol Aircraft FAF-SAG (Hawkeye, 8-Super Etendards, 7-Rafale FS Marne w/ Alouette III helo U/I SSN UK (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) 16 Regiment Royal Artillery 29 Commando Reg Royal Artillery (MOD ) 42 Commando RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters

MAPPING UPDATES (April 7 - 13)

NONE

April 13 Weekly update

WORLD SUPERPOWER NAVAL OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 7 - 13)

CHINA PLA-NAVY / DIAOYU ISLANDS (Apr 9) PLAN surveillance ships Haijian 26, 50 & 66 patrolling Diaoyu Islands (People's Daily ) 13th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Apr 9) 13th ETF @ Casablanca, Morocco (Peoples Daily ) (Apr 3) 13th ETF @ Algiers, Algeria (People's Daily )(People's Daily ) FRANCE FS Mistral (LHD) (Apr 9) @ Mid-Atlantic, Gunnery and deck landing exercises with FS LV Henaff (FFG) and HMS Argyll (FFG) (Royal Navy ) RUSSIA BLACK SEA FLEET (Apr 12) @ Constanta, Romania, BLACKSEAFOR Phase-2 Begins (Apr 9) @ Varna, Bulgaria, BLACKSEAFOR Phase-1 Begins (3-day at sea) (Apr 5-23) @ Varna, Bulgaria, BLACKSEAFOR Exercise begins (RIA Novosti ) PARTICIPANTS: BULGARIA – Reshitelni (Corvette) GEORGIA – Sukhumi (Coastal Patrol) ROMANIA – Macelariu (Corvette) RUSSIA – Novocherkassk (Ropucha-1 class Landing Ship) TURKEY – Heybeliada (Corvette) UKRAINE – Cherkassy (Minesweeper) MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE (Apr 12) Severomorsk TF joins MTF patrol; next week Black Sea Fleet ships will join (RIA Novosti ) LST – Azov (Rophucha-II class Landing Ship) (Apr 6) @ Strait of Malaca, enter Indian Ocean, ETA in AOR in Mid May (RIA Novosti ) (Apr 5) Pacific Fleet sends ships for MTF in March (RIA Novosti ) DDG – Adm. Panteleyev LST – Peresvet LST – Adm. Nevelsky Supply – Pechenga Tug – Fotiy Krylov NORTH FLEET (Apr 11) DDG-Severomorsk TF @ Gulf of Aden, finishing Anti-Piracy TF duties, preparing to return home (Rusnavy ) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Frigate) (Apr 9) @ Mid-Atlantic, Gunnery and deck landing exercises with FS Mistral (LHD) and LV Henaff (FFG) (Royal Navy) HMS Bulwark (LPD) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) (Apr 12) @ Angus Beach, Scotland, 42 Commando stages amphibious exercise (Scotsman ) (Apr 11) @ Devonport, UK, depart for Exercise JOINT WARRIOR (Royal Navy ) HMS Monmouth (Frigate) (Apr 11) @ Arabian Gulf, EX with Kuwaiti patrol ship Al-Ahmadi (MOD ) (Apr 8) @ Kuwait, visit by Kuwait Staff College (Royal Navy ) HMS Sutherland (Frigate) (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD) (Apr 11) @ Devonport, UK, depart for Exercise JOINT WARRIOR (Royal Navy) HMS St. Albans (Frigate) (Apr 12) @ Anglesey, UK (Royal Navy ) UNITED STATES USS BH Richard ARG (Apr 10) LSD-Tortuga @ E. China Sea, launching LCU for Ex BALIKITAN 2013 (Apr 6) @ Subic Bay, USMC MV-22B Ospreys ferry materials ashore in preparation for Ex. BALIKATAN 2013 (Apr 4) LSD-Tortuga @ Manila, Philippines, visit orphanage (US Navy ) USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) (Apr 2) @ Pacific, enter 7th Fleet AOR (US Navy ) USS Cheyenne (SSN-773) (Apr 9) @ Guam to conduct Liberty & Maintenance USS Cowpens (CG-63) (Apr 8) @ San Diego, returned from Japan forward deployment, was hull swapped with Antietam (CG-54) (US Navy ) USS Eisenhower CSG (Apr 8) @ N. Arabian Sea, F/A-18 Super Hornet crashed into the water, aircrew rescued (US Navy ) USS Emory S. Land (AS-39) (Apr 5) @ Olongapo, Philippines USS Freedom (LCS-1) EST NEXT – CARAT (various Phases) EST NEXT – @ Singapore, IMDEX 2013 (Apr 9) @ Manilla, Philippines for rest & refuel USS Gary (FFG-51) (Apr 5) @ San Diego, returns from 4th Fleet SOUTHCOM deployment (US Navy ) USS Jacksonville (SSN-699) (Apr 9) @ Guam to conduct Liberty and Maintenance USS Kearsarge ARG (Apr 10) @ Gulf of Aden (Apr 5) @ Suez Canal, enter 5th Fleet AOR (US Navy ) (Apr 3) @ Limassol, Cyprus (US Navy ) USS Monterey (CG-61) (Apr 8) @ Norfolk, USA, Deploys to 5th & 6th Fleets AOR USS Ohio (SSGN-726) (Apr 11) @ Apra Harbor, Guam, exchange of command between it's Gold and Blue Crews USS Peleliu ARG (Apr 4) @ S. China Sea, enter 7th Fleet AOR (US Navy ) USS Ponce (AFSB(I)-15) (May 6-30) @ Bahrain, IMCMEX-13, international mine countermeasures exercise with 30-nations participating (US Navy ) (Apr 8) US Navy plans to deploy a solid-state laser on-board in FY14 as point-defense system vs. UAVs and small boats (US Navy ) USS Reagan CSG (Apr 2) CG @ Pacific, test AEGIS Combat System with new SM-2, Block-9 missiles, destroying medium altitude drone (US Navy ) USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) (Apr 5) @ Newport News, complete Crew Cert Process (US Navy ) USS Stennis CSG (Apr 10) @ Surigao Straits (US Navy ) (Apr 7) @ S. China Sea, Singaporean military & civilian leaders visit ship (US Navy ) (Apr 5) @ S. China Sea, conduct maritime security patrols (US Navy ) USS Thach (FFG-43) (Apr 12) @ San Diego, returns from 4th Fleet anti-drug patrol (US Navy ) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS FGS Karlsruhe (Frigate) (Apr 11) @ Djibouti for supplies (Bundeswehr ) ITS Cavour (Carrier) (Apr 11) @ Gulf of Taranto, civil evacuation exercise with San Marco Brigade (Italian Navy ) SPS Mendez Nunez (Frigate) (Apr 10) @ Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for 3-day visit, concluding Anti-Piracy patrol (Armada ) SPS Numancia (Frigate) (Apr 6) @ Gulf of Aden, Begin 4-month Anti-Piracy patrol (Armada )

WORLD SUPERPOWER GROUND OPERATIONS AND UPDATES (April 7 - 13)

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS USA (Apr 10) @ Washington DC, NORAD exercise FALCON VIRGO 13-07a (DOD ) (Apr 9) USAF begins grounding 1/3 of combat aircraft in response to budget cuts (BBC ) ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Apr 10) US announces units for next rotation (DOD ) 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Armored Brigade 1st Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade 2nd Cavalry Regiment 4th Infantry Division, HQ (Apr 9) UK 40 Commando leaves Afghanistan for last time (Royal Navy ) (Apr 9) US 3rd Infantry Division, 1st BCT – KIA @ Zabul (DOD ) CHINA (Apr 1) PLA troops conduct live fire exercises in Shenyang Provence near the NK border (Freebeacon ) KOREA (Apr 12) US raises alert status to DEFCON-3, China massing troops on NK border, NK preping for MRBM launch (Debka ); China denies military build-up on border (People's Daily ) (Apr 5) @ Guam, USAF B-1 bombers from Dyess AFB, TX; USAF E-6 Command Aircraft from Tinker AFB, OK (Zero Hedge ) EUROPE UK (Apr 15-29) EX JOINT WARRIOR 2013 (MOD ) 16 Regiment Royal Artillery 42 Commando RAF Tornado and Typhoon fighters

MAPPING UPDATES (April 7 - 13)

AFGHANISTAN ATLANTIC INDIAN OCEAN MEDITERRANEAN / EUROPE PACIFIC

April 6th Weekly Update

SHIP LOGS & OPERATIONS Ship & Group Locations Checked & Updated (March 31 to April 6)

CHINA None FRANCE FS Aquitaine (Frigate) (Mar 23-28) @ Havana, Cuba (Defense Ministry ) FS Tonnerre – Jeanne de Arc Task Force (Apr 1-2) @ Gulf of Aqaba, EX MERCY with Jordan at Camp Al Humaima (Defense Ministry ) (Mar 30-Apr 4) @ Aqaba, Jordan (Mar 26) @ Bay of Jounieh, Beirut, EX CEDAR BLUE with Lebanon (Defense Ministry ) (Mar 23) @ Beirut, Lebanon (Defense Ministry ) RUSSIA NONE UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Frigate) (Apr 3) @ Cape Verde, Counter-Narcotics Drills with CVLET (Royal Navy ) HMS Monmouth (Frigate) HMS Dragon (Destroyer) (Apr 4) @ Gibraltar (Royal Navy ) HMS Kent (Frigate) (Apr 4) @ Tripoli, Libya () UNITED STATES USS Alexandria (SSN-757) (Apr 3) @ Groton, Conn, return from EUCOM deployment (US Navy ) USS Asheville (SSN-758) USS BH Richard ARG-FORWARD (Apr 5-17) LSD-Tortuga @ Philippines for BALIKATAN 2013 with USNS Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011), Sacagawea (T-AKE-2) and MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (US Navy ) (US Navy ) USS Charlotte (SSN-766) (Apr 2) @ Pearl Harbor, deploys to WESTPAC for 6-months (US Navy ) USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) (Apr 2) @ Pearl Harbor, HA, Deploys to WESTPAC (US Navy ) USS Eisenhower CSG (Mar 30) CG @ Strait of Hormus USS Kearsarge ARG (Apr 1) LPD @ Souda Bay, Greece (US Navy ) USS Nimitz CSG (Apr 3) CG Princeton deploys (US Navy ) (Mar 30) @ Everett, WA, sets sail for Sustainment Training EX, preping for deployment (US Navy ) USS Peleliu ARG (Mar 25) @ Jebel Ali, Dudbai, UAE, 4-day visit (US Navy ) USS Stennis CSG (Apr 1) @ Singapore (US Navy ) REGIONAL / OTHER – NAVAL LOGS None

GROUND UNITS, CONFLICTS & OPERATIONS LOGS US Ground units logs updated per DOD reports, up to (March 17 to 23) (DOD News Releases ) France, UK, Russia, China Army logs updated per various news releases and open sources

AFRICA MALI AMERICAS NONE ASIA / MIDDLE-EAST KOREA (Apr 3) @ Guam, US Army deploying THAAD system () RUSSIA (Feb 26) @ Sea of Japan, TU-22M Backfire Bomber simulated cruise missile launch on US Navy CG on ABM patrol (Freebeacon ) EUROPE NONE

MAPPING UPDATES

NONE