December 15-28 Weekly Log Update

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE December 15 – 28

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE NO NEWS 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE NO NEWS PLAN Liaoning (Carrier) (Dec 22) @ S. China Sea; Carrier group has conducted more than 100 tests and training exercises since early December (PIC) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE (Dec 19-24) @ Lome, Togo; FS Dixmude conducts multinational exercise NEMO 2013 with marines from France, Benin, Niger and Togo; includes ship boarding and search exercises (MOD) (Dec 13-15) @ Port Gentil, Gabon; Frigate FS L'Herminier makes port call, host training visit by 110-students from Naval Training Center (MOD) FS Charles de Gaulle CSG (Dec 24) @ Indian Ocean; French Chief of Staff Adm. Guillaud visits battle group for Christmas (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE (Dec 24) @ Mediterranean; Task force ships plan to escort transports for Syrian chemical weapons (RIA Novosti) Task Force currently includes: RFS Pyotr Veliky (BCGN) ---FLAGSHIP--- RFS Smetlivy (DDG) 4-LST's Upcoming Swap: RFS Kaliningrad (LST) ---Heading to Mediterranean--- RFS A. Shabalin (LST) ---Heading home--- RFS Ivan Gren (LST) (Dec 24) @ Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad; new Landing Ship will be commissioned by year end and enter service in 2015 (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Daring (Destroyer) (Dec 23) @ Singapore; Destroyer planning to spend Christmas in port (RN) (Dec 19) @ Da Nang, Vietnam; Destroyer is first UK ship to visit city, hosts Vietnamese naval officers and a British Council graduation ceremony (RN) HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Dec 19) UK Officer from HMS Illustrious (Carrier) was embedded onboard JS Ise (DDH-Carrier) during Philippine relief operations (MOD) (Dec 17) @ Singapore; UK Fleet Commander visits HMS Illustrious (Carrier) during port visit, ship is en-route home (MOD) HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (Dec 23) @ British Antarctic Territory; Ship continues patrol and conducting research for UK Hydrographic Office, celebrating Christmas on the ice floes (RN) HMS Richmond (Frigate) (Dec 23) @ Ajax Bay, Falklands; Ship anchors near San Carlos Water, scene of the Falklands War amphibious landings and resting place of HMS Antelope, conducted Remembrance Service and clean up various war memorials ashore (RN) (Dec 8) @ Stanley, Falklands; Crew participates in commemoration of 1914 Battle of Falklands Islands, celebrating the Royal Navy's victory over a squadron of German ships (MOD) HMAS Parramatta (ANZAC Class frigate) (Dec 28) @ Pacific; Australian Frigate currently on Operation Resolute security patrols on Australia's N. maritime border (AU-MOD) HMAS Tobruk (Amphibious) (Dec 21) @ Sydney, Australia; Landing Ship returns home from assisting relief efforts in Philippines OP PHILIPPINE ASSIST (AUS-MOD) HMNZS Te Mana (ANZAC Class Frigate) (Dec 21?) @ Indian Ocean; New Zealand frigate arrives off Somalia, joins CTF-151 anti-piracy patrol (NZ-MOD) RFA Argus (Dec 23) @ Atlantic; completes 10-day training package with 820 and 824 NAS (RN) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS GHW. Bush CSG (Dec 15) @ Atlantic; Roosevelt CSG completes COMPTUEX, preparing to deploy (USN) USS G. Washington CSG (Dec 17) @ Yokosuka, Japan; US Carrier visited by V. Adm. Ito, Commandant of the JSDF Joint Staff College with 60-students (USN) US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Boxer ARG (Dec 21) @ Arabian Gulf; ARG patrolling in 5th Fleet, conducting Mine Countermeasures exercises (USN-PIC) US WARSHIPS USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) (Dec 23) @ Yokosuka, Japan; Los Angeles Class Sub visits 7th Fleet HQ during WESTPAC deployment (USN) USS Freedom (LCS-1) (Dec 23) @ San Diego; Ship returns to homeport from 7th Fleet / WESTPAC / Pacific deployment (USN) (Dec 15) @ Pearl Harbor; ship makes port call while en-route home, conducts change of command (USN) USS Hampton (SSN-767) (Dec 18) @ NB Point Loma, CA; Fast Attack sub returns from 6-month Pacific Fleet deployment (USN) USS Howard (DDG-83) (Dec 24) @ Guam; during port visit crewmen conduct COMREL project at Dept of Youth Affairs in Mangilao (USN) USS Monterey (CG-61) (Dec 26) @ Funchal, Portugal; Cruiser departs Portugal after 3-day port visit during Mediterranean patrol (USN-PIC) (Dec 20) @ Augusta Bay, Italy; Cruiser arrives for port visit during Mediterranean patrol (USN-PIC) USS Nitze (DDG-94) (Dec 24) @ Naples Italy; sailors volunteer time at Centro Fernandes Homeless Shelter in Castel Volturno and San Massimo Soup Kitchen in Licola, Italy during port visit, Destroyer is currently deployed to 6th Fleet / EUCOM patrol (USN) USS N. Carolina (SSN-777) (Dec 19) @ Pearl Harbor; Los Angeles Class Fast Attack sub departs for 7th Fleet / WESTPAC deployment (USN) USS Stout (DDG-55) (Dec 19) @ Souda Bay, Crete; US sailors visit Senior Citizen's Home of Chania during port visit (USN) USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) (Dec 22) @ Mayport; Destroyer returns from 6-month 5th and 6th Fleet deployment (USN-PIC) (Dec 8) @ Draguignan, France; during port visit 8-crewmen honor the 860-servicemen buried at Rhone American Cemetery (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) (Dec 17) @ Indian Ocean; CTF-465 TF commander from FS Siroco visits UPS Hetman Sagaidachney (Frigate) (MOD) CTF-465 CURRENT UNITS: FGS Hessen (Frigate) FS Siroco (Landing Ship) ---FLAGSHIP--- ITS Libbeccio (Frigate) SPS Tornado (Ocean Patrol Ship) (Dec 15) @ Somaliland; Vice-President of Somaliland and the EU head of the maritime operation in the Indian Ocean meet on FS Siroco (MOD) (Dec 6) @ Djibouti; HNLMS Johan de Witt (Amphib) hands over command of OP ATALANTA to French Navy (Defense) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) (Dec 23) @ Gulf of Aden; Spanish President Brey and other military chiefs an dignitaries visit SNMG-2 Flagship SPS Alvaro de Bazan (NATO) (Dec 23) @ Gulf of Aden; UPS Hetman Sagaidachnyi (Frigate) concludes 3-month piracy patrol (NATO) (Dec 20) @ Indian Ocean; Japanese piracy task force captain of JS Samidare visits SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Dec 18) @ Indian Ocean; NATO-SNMG-2 Flagship SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Frigate) conducts MEDEVAC of sick sailor on the Ukrainian frigate UPS H. Sagadaichnyi to the french hospital at Djibouti, German frigate FGS Hessen acted as refueling station for Spanish helicopter during the 7-hour flight (Armada) GERMANY FGS Baden-Wurttemberg (125-Class Frigate) (Dec 12) @ Hamburg Shipyard, Germany; Lead ship of the new 125-Class frigate is christened. The new class is designed as a 7,000-ton, high endurance, multi-role warship, capable of 24-month deployments with 4-month crew rotations, conflict prevention, crisis management, peacekeeping and stabilization operations (Bundesmarine) FGS Niedersachsen (Frigate) (Dec 20) @ Wilhelmshaven, Germany; Frigate returns home from EU OP ATALANTA Indian Ocean anti-piracy patrol (Bundesmarine) FGS Saxony (Frigate) (Dec 14) @ Wilhelmshaven, Germany; Frigate returns home from NATO-SNMG-2 patrol (Bundesmarine) INDIA (Dec 19-22) @ Bay of Bengal; JIMEX bilateral naval exercise was held with Indian and Japanese naval units (Indian Navy) ...units include INS Kuthar (Missile Corvette) INS Ranvijay (Destroyer) INS Satpura (Frigate) JS Ariake (Destroyer) JS Setogiri (Destroyer) ITALY ITS Andrea Doria (Destroyer) (Dec 20) @ Mediterranean; ITS Andrea Doria (Destroyer) heads home following surge deployment to Lebanon in September (Marina) ITS Virginio Fasan (Frigate - F591) (Dec 19) @ Fincantieri Shipyard, Muggiano, Italy; new FREMM warship delivered to Italian Navy in ceremony honoring the former ITS Fasan (Marina) SPAIN SPS Cantabria (Supply) (Dec 13) @ Aksaz, Turkey; Supply ship visits Turkey while en-route home from Australia (Armada)

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA S. SUDAN (Dec 28) @ Juba; White Army Militia march 25,000-troops to capital, cease-fire hopes dim (Newser) (Dec 27) @ Bor; rebels claim Ugandan AF MIG-29 bombed rebel positions, Bor captured by Gov forces (Sudan Tribune) (Dec 26) @ Bor; several oil fields and half of Bor held by rebels (Reuters) (Dec 23) 50-US Marines take positions in Uganda (Military.com) (Dec 22) 150-US Marines shift from Spain to Djibouti (Dec 21) US Navy SEALS attempt evacuation of US nationals, come under fire and abort mission (ABC) (Dec 20) @ Juba; UK-RAF C-17 evacuates British nationals (UK-GOV) (Dec 16) @ Juba; USAF 2-C130 aircraft evacuate 120 Americans and western diplomats, 45-US Army soldiers deploy to protect US Embassy (ABC) (Dec 14) US Army Quick Reaction Force @ Djibouti shifts to S. Sudan to evacuate diplomats AMERICAS USA – JAPAN / OKINAWA (Dec 27) Okinawa officials approve USMC plans to relocate US base and shift Marine forces within 5-years (Defense News) ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Dec 23) US 2nd Marine Division, 9th Regiment – KIA @ Helmand Province (DOD) (Dec 13) US-DOD announces spring, 2014 rotation units (DOD) 1st Cavalry Division, HQ (350-troops) 3rd Cavalry Regiment (2,050-troops) 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Germany (1,000-troops) 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, Washington (1,700-troops) 82nd Airborne Division, 1st Brigade (3,200-troops) RUSSIA (Dec 16) Russia confirms it's deployed SS-26 “Iskander” tactical ballistic missiles to Kaliningrad, a move it says counters NATO's missile shield, a move that NATO says destabilizes the region (RIA Novosti) EUROPE NONE