January 19-25 Weekly Log Update

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE January 19 – 25

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE NONE 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE NONE Second Chinese Carrier (Jan 25) Local Chinese news agencies announce the construction of a second Chinese aircraft carrier, western experts debate it's abilities and Chinese predictions to build 4-carriers by 2020, since the build time of 1-carrier is typically 6-years alone (Defense News) PLAN Changbai Shan (Amphibious Landing Ship) (Jan 23) @ S. China Sea; Battlegroup conducts amphibious exercises and long-range training training near Xisha Islands (Peoples Daily) (Jan 22) @ Xisha Islands; Battlegroups completes 2-day patrol of islands, Flotilla commander landed on the islands to great the garrison troops following a 20-minute amphibious landing exercise (Peoples daily) (Jan 20) @ Sanya; Changbaishan Battlegroup departs for training in S. China Sea (Peoples Daily) ...Escorts include PLAN Changbaishan (Amphibious Landing Ship) PLAN Haikou (Destroyer) PLAN Wuhan (Destroyer) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE (Jan 19) @ Atlantic off Senegal; FS Dixmude and Cmdt L'Herminier respond to distress signal from small fishing boat capsized 12-miles off Dakar, 1-fisherman rescued and transferred to Senegalese Coast Guard, 2-bodies were recovered (MOD) GABIAN 2014 – MAJOR QUARTERLY NAVAL EXERCISE (Jan 20-24) @ Mediterranean; French naval forces conduct major quarterly naval exercise GABIAN-2014 (MOD) ...units include FS Capricorn (MCM) FS Cassard (DDG) FS Cmdt Ducuing (FFG) FS Dupleix (DDG) FS Lyre (MCM) FS Marne (Supply) FS Orion (MCM) FS Tonnerre (LHD) FS Var (Supply) FS Charles De Gaulle (Carrier) (Jan 23) @ Arabian Gulf; French battlegroup and USS Truman CSG continue interoperability training (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE (Jan 25) @ Mediterranean; RFS Pyotr Veliky (Battle-Cruiser) and PLAN Yancheng (Frigate) begin compatibility training exercises in preparation for escorting Syrian chemical weapons for destruction (RIA Novosti) RFS Admiral Nakhimov (Battle-Cruiser) (Jan 24) Sevmash Shipyards; shipbuilder announces the battle-cruiser has begun a long delayed modernization refit, Russia plans to return all four battle-cruisers to service by 2018 (RIA Novosti) RFS Kuznetsov (Carrier) (Jan 24) @ Mediterranean; Carrier Battlegroup is conducting air combat exercises off Spain's Balearic Islands (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Type-23 Frigate) (Jan 20) @ London; Frigate departs London, enroute to Devonport for training in preparation for Caribbean deployment (UK-RN) HMS Daring (Destroyer) (Jan 23) @ Jakarta, Indonesia; UK Destroyer on Far east patrol makes friendly port visit, engaging in fun run and cooking competition (UK-RN) HMS Portland (Type-23 Frigate) (Jan 24) @ Lisbon, Portugal; UK Frigate makes first visit of Atlantic patrol (UK-RN) HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (Jan 21) @ S. Georgia; Ship arrives to conduct hydrographic and dive operations, and assists S. Georgian government in beach habitat cleanup (UK-RN) HMS Richmond (Type-23 Frigate) (Jan 24) @ Panama Canal; Frigate transits canal for first time (UK-RN) (Jan 20) @ Panama City; Frigate arrives to replenish supplies, preparing to transit canal into Caribbean (UK-RN) HMAS Darwin (Frigate) (Jan 19) @ Sydney; Australian frigate departs for OPERATION SLIPPER patrol in Middle East AOR for 7-months, will be relieving HMAS Melbourne (AU-Navy) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS NONE US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Blue Ridge (LLC-19) (Jan 21) @ Yokosuka; US Senator Rubio visits command ship USS Blue Ridge and cruiser Shiloh while in homeport (USN) USS BH Richard (LHD-6) (Jan 22-23) @ Sasebo; Forward-deployed Assault Ship begins ammo onload in preparation for it's next patrol (USN) USS Makin Island (LHD-8) (Jan 17) @ San Diego; Assault Ship completes 9-day sea trials following 13-month PMA maintenance (USN) US WARSHIPS KOA KAI 14-1 NAVAL EXERCISE (Jan 24-31) @ Hawaii; Integrated Maritime Exercise KOA KAI 14-1 begins off Hawaii, exercise prepares warships tasked with future independent deployments for flight operations, anti-surface / submarine training (USN) ...Units include USS Cape George (CG-71) USS Chosin (CG-65) USS Chung-Hoon (DDG-93) USS Halsey (DDG-97) USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) USS Lake Erie (CG-70) USS O'Kane (DDG-77) USS Port Royal (CG-73) USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) HMCS Protecteur (Supply Ship) Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing – 2 Commander, Submarine Force US Pacific Fleet Commander, DESRON-31 Hawaii Air National Guard (USAF) HMSS-37 MAG-24 VMFA-224 (USMC) 25th Combat Aviation Brigade USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) (Jan 24) @ Norfolk; Dep. A.SECDEF visits ship to evaluate ships MDS system, in preparation for destroyers upcoming deployment to Mediterranean as BMD patrol ship (USN) USS Seawolf (SSN-21) (Jan 21) @ Bremerton; US fast-attack submarine returns from 6-month deployment (USN) USS Spruance (DDG-111) (Jan 22) @ Singapore; Commander US Pacific Fleet visits destroyer during port visit (USN) (Jan 18) @ Singapore Strait; sailors from destroyer rescue Filipino mariner that fell overboard in Strait OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) (Jan 18) @ Gulf of Aden; FS Siroco (Landing Ship) responds to overnight failed pirate attack on Nave Atropos, tracks the fast-boats with help from Japanese PC-3 , captures 5-pirates and frees 11-Indian sailors (MOD) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) (Jan 23) @ Gulf of Aden; Following a formal exchange of letters signed by NATO and New Zealand, HMNZS Te Mana (Frigate) joins CTF-508 anti-piracy patrol (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 (Jan 24) @ Bergen, Norway; Norway takes command of NATO-SNMG-1 naval patrol aboard the new fleet flagship HNOMS Thor Heyerdahl (Fridtjof Nansen Class Frigate), the next SNMG-1 battlegroup plans to patrol the Arctic, Mediterranean and Straits of Gibraltar (NATO) GERMANY (Jan 24) @ London, UK; FGS Schleswig-Holstein (Frigate) visits London for the weekend, Frigate will participate in COUGAR-14 (UK-RN) (Jan 20) @ Warnemunde; FGS Magdeburg (K130 – Brunswick Class Corvette) departs for SNMG-1 patrol (Bundesmarine) ITALY (Jan 22) Italian DEFMIN visits ITS San Marco (Amphibious Assault Ship) following the rescue of 20-migrants off Sicily (DIFESA) (Jan 10-14) @ Kenya; ITS Cavour (Carrier) and Etna (Supply Ship) visit Mombasa, conduct medical humanitarian check-ups and surgeries at isolated villages in Kenya (DIFESA)

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC NONE EUROPE NONE

January 12-18 Weekly Log Updates

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE January 12 – 18

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Jan 13-16) @ Sri Lanka; PLAN Jianggangshan and PLAN Hengshui arrived at Trinomalee Port for 3-day goodwill visit, ship will be open for public tours and crew will carry out equipment exchanges with Sri Lankan navy personnel (Peoples Daily) 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Jan 12) @ Gulf of Aden; PLAN Luoyang (FFG) discovers suspect pirate vessels and repels then from attacking merchant ships (Peoples Daily) (Jan 12) @ Mediterranean off Syria; PLAN Yancheng (FFG) conducted round-the-clock ship landing training for it's helicopter while stationed off Syria's coast (Peoples Daily) (Jan 10) @ Mediterranean; PLAN Yancheng (FFG) staff meets onboard HDMS Esbern Snare (Denmark Combat Support Ship) to coordinate Syria chemical weapons escort duties with HnoMS Helge Ingstad (Norwegian FFG), and Commander of the Russian Mediterranean Task Force (Peoples Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE (Jan 13) @ Guinea; FS Cmdt L'Herminier (Frigate) visits Conakry, conducts change of command (MOD) (Jan 7-11) @ Ivory Coast; FS Dixmude (Assault Ship) visits Abidjan, conducts amphibious exercise with forward-deployed troops and IC troops (MOD) GABIAN 2014 – MAJOR QUARTERLY NAVAL EXERCISE (Jan 20-24) @ Mediterranean; French naval forces conduct major quarterly naval exercise GABIAN-2014 (MOD) ...units include FS Capricorn (MCM) FS Cassard (DDG) FS Cmdt Ducuing (FFG) FS Dupleix (DDG) FS Lyre (MCM) FS Marne (Supply) FS Orion (MCM) FS Tonnerre (LHD) FS Var (Supply) FS Charles De Gaulle (Carrier) (Jan 12) @ Arabian Gulf; Battlegroup leaves UAE, resumes operational activities with USS Truman CSG (MOD) (Jan 8-12) @ UAE; Battlegroup visits Abu Dhabi for break and supplies, De Gaulle is toured by UAE Foreign Minister (MOD) (Jan 5-7) @ Qatar; Battlegroup participates in bilateral exercise OCEAN FALCON with Qatari forces (MOD) FS Latouche-Treville (Destroyer) (Jan 14) @ Bay of Biscay; French destroyer reportedly sortied out of Brest in early Jan to intercept Russian Carrier battlegroup in English Channel, and conducted various exercise in Bay of Biscay for 3-days, Russian Battlegroup is currently in Mediterranean (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE NO NEWS UNITED KINGDOM HMS Argyll (Type-23 Frigate) (Jan 15-19) @ London, UK; Frigate returns to London for tours, will dock beside HMS Belfast near Tower Bridge (UK-RN) HMS Montrose (Type-23 Frigate) (Jan 14) UK Frigate is tasked with assisting the removal of Syrian chemical weapons in June, 2014; ship is currently in Arabian Gulf (UK-RN) HMS Ocean (Helicopter Carrier) (Jan 14) @ Devonport, UK; nearing end of 15-month refit, crew begins returning to ship, will return to sea this spring (UK-RN) HMS Protector (Ice Patrol Ship) (Jan 17) @ S. Sandwich Islands; Ice Patrol Ship conducts underwater surveys in previously uncharted waters around S. Thule Island, Douglas Straits and Cook Islands (UK-RN) HMS Somerset (F82 – Frigate) (Jan 16) @ Gibraltar; UK Frigate visited to take on supplies, and the Fit Crew took on the Rock Race Challenge (UK-RN) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS Reagan (CVN-76) (Jan 14) US Navy announces pacific re-balance, will replace USS Washington with USS Reagan in Japan, and transfer USS Roosevelt to San Diego from Norfolk, Carrier Air Wing-5 will remain at NAS Atsugi, Japan (USN) USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) (Jan 15) @ Atlantic; Conducting Carrier Qualifications at sea (USN) USS Truman CSG (Jan 15) @ Arabian Gulf; French Super-Etendard Strike Fighters from carrier FS Charles De Gaulle overfly US carrier, both carriers are conducting interoperability exercises (USN) US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Makin Island (LHD-8) (Jan 16) @ Pacific; Assault Ship conducting Sea Trials after 13-month refit (USN) US WARSHIPS USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) (Jan 14) @ Norfolk, VA; US Destroyer returns from 6-month deployment to 6th Fleet (USN) USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) (Jan 15) @ Atlantic; US Destroyer is underway conducting drills in preparation for homeport shift to Rota, Spain (USN) USS Elrod (FFG-55) (Jan 14) @ Norfolk, VA; US Frigate deploys to US 6th Fleet AOR (Mediterranean) for 6-months (USN) USS Halyburton (FFG-40) (Jan 15) @ Mayport; US Frigate deploys to 4th Fleet / SOUTHCOM, will assist efforts against drug trafficcing in Caribbean, Central and South America (USN) USS McCampbell (DDG-85) (Jan 16) @ Japan; US Destroyer gets underway from Yokosuka for 7th Fleet patrol (USN) USS Rentz (FFG-46) (Jan 14) @ Pacific off Guatamala; Frigate rescued 3-deep sea turtles about 80-miles offshore stuck in fishing bouys (USN) (Jan 13) @ Pacific off Ecuador; Frigate seized appr 313 kg of cocaine during anti-drug operations in 4th Fleet AOR, three suspects were transferred to Ecuadoran authorities (USN) USS Scranton (SSN-756) (Jan 13) @ Norfolk, VA; Attack Submarine returns from Mediterranean & Indian Ocean patrol (USN) USS Stout (DDG-55) (Jan 16) @ Mediterranean; US Destroyers Stout and Ramage conduct crew swap via RHI Boat during 6th Fleet patrol (USN) USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) (Jan 16) @ Virginia Beach, VA; The Navy's first Joint-High Speed Vessel departed for it's maiden deployment to US 6th Fleet AOR until May, then sail to US 4th Fleet; The ship is a multi-mission 338'-Catamaran hull. Can carry 600-tons of supplies and support various aircraft (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) (Jan 16) @ Seychelles; ITS Libbecio (Italian Frigate) conducts anti-piracy exercise with Seychelles Coast Guard, Police and Air Force (DIFESA) (Jan 11) @ Kenya; FS Siroco (Landing Ship) delivered 2-SUV's at Mombassa for EU mission EUCAP-NESTOR (MOD) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) NO NEWS

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Jan 17) US 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Brigade – KIA @ Kandahar City (Jan 15) US 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), 2nd Battalion – KIA @ Parwan Province (DOD)      RUSSIA – ARMENIA (Jan 17) Russia forms a helicopter squadron to strengthen it's air contingent at Erebuni AB in Armenia. The base currently hosts 16 Mig-29's. The new squadron will host Mi-24P “Hind-F” attack helicopters, and Mi-8MT & Mi-8SMV transport helicopters. The crew are currently training at Rostov-on-Don AB, and the squadron will be phased in throughout 2014 (RIA Novosti) EUROPE NONE

January 5-11 Weekly Log Updates

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE January 05 – 11

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE NO NEWS 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE NO NEWS FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE NO NEWS RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE NO NEWS RFS Adm. Kuznetsov (Carrier) (Jan 10) @ English Channel; transit Channel en-route to Mediterranean (RIA Novosti) (Jan 1) @ Atlantic off Scotland; anchor off coast due to inclement weather, being escorted by HMS Defender (D36) (RIA Novosti) (Dec 17) @ Murmansk; Carrier deploys to Mediterranean with 5-escort ships (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Daring (D32 – Destroyer) (Jan 10) @ Sattahip, Thailand; Destroyer arrives in Thailand for port visit and exchanges (UK-RN) HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Jan 10) @ Portsmouth; Carrier returns home from COUGAR'13 Deployment and Philippines aid operations from Typhoon Haiyan; Carrier will undergo maintenance and return to duty later this year for a planned deployment (UK-RN) HMS Portland (F79 – Frigate) (Jan 13) @ Devonport; Frigate deploying to Atlantic patrols for 7-months (UK-RN) HMS Somerset (F82 – Frigate) (Jan 9) @ Devonport; Frigate deploys to Mediterranean and Indian Ocean for 6-months (UK-RN) HMAS Darwin (FFG-04 – Adelaide Class Frigate) (Jan 8) Australian Frigate achieves “Mission Readiness” in preparation for an upcoming deployment to OPERATION SLIPPER in Indian Ocean (AU-NAVY) HMAS Sirius (Tanker) (Jan 9) @ Indian Ocean; conducts resupply for HMAS Stuart (ANZAC Class Frigate) on Operation RESOLUTE border patrol duties (AU-NAVY) RFA Wave Knight (A389 – Supply Ship) (Dec 26) @ Caribbean; Ship and USCG law enforcement team pursue and board the vessel “Miss Kameney”, seizing ¼ ton of marijuana (UK-RN) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS NO NEWS US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS NO NEWS US WARSHIPS USS Bainbridge (DDG-96) (Jan 9) @ Mediterranean; Destroyer departs 6th Fleet AOR, en-route home (USN) USS Kidd (DDG-100) (Jan 7) @ San Diego; Destroyer deploys to 7th Fleet / WESTPAC (USN) USS Monterey (CG-61) (Jan 5) @ Norfolk; Cruiser returns from 5th & 6th Fleet deployment (USN) USS Pinkney (DDG-91) (Jan 7) @ San Diego; Destroyer deploys to 7th Fleet / WESTPAC (USN) USS Taylor (FFG-50) (Jan 8) @ Mayport; Frigate deploys to 5th and 6th Fleet AOR for 7-months, this will be it's final deployment, then it will be decommissioned in 2015 (USN) USS Tucson (SSN-770) (Jan 10) @ Yokosuka; Attack submarine visits Japan during WESTPAC deployment (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) (Jan 7) @ Indian Ocean; FGS Hessen (German Frigate) conducts PASSEX with Indian Navy ships INS Viraat (Carrier), Teg (Frigate) and Jyoti (Supply Ship) (Bundesmarine) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) (Jan 9) @ Arabian Sea; Flagship SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Spanish Frigate) conducted surface warfare and air defense training with USS Truman CSG, commanders meet to discuss maritime security (NATO) (Jan 7) @ Gulf of Aden; Last week TCG Gelibolu (Turkish Frigate) conducted meeting and joint training with S. Korean destroyer ROKS Choi Young (Sun-Sin Class Destroyer) (NATO) (Jan 7) @ Bahrain; Flagship SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Spanish Frigate) visited Bahrain last week, holds staff meeting with CTF-150 & 151 commanders to improve info sharing and coordination (NATO) GERMANY (Jan 7) FGS Brandenburg (Frigate) completes GOST training program, declared ready to deploy to EU Operation ATALANTA in Indian Ocean as Flagship (Bundesmarine) INDIA (Jan 7) @ Kanwar; INS Vikramaditya (Carrier) arrives at naval base with a team of Russian specialists and techs (RIA Novosti)(Pics) ITALY (Jan 10) @ Mediterranean; 105-African migrants were rescued by ITS Zeffiro (Frigate), transferred to ITS San Marco (Amphibious) for identification and care, then transferred to Augusta by ITS Sirius (OPS) (Marina) (Jan 3) @ Arabian Sea; ITS Cavour, USS Truman and FS Charles de Gaulle (Carriers) meet to conduct joint maneuvering and training (Marina) (Jan 2) @ Dubai, UAE; ITS Cavour Carrier Group departs UAE for Kenya after joint training and PASSEX with UAE naval units and boarding teams; ITS Bergamini conducts joint training with NATO flagship SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Marina)

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISTAN (Jan 4) US 1st Infantry Divisions, 3rd Brigade – KIA @ Nangarhar Province (DOD) SOUTH KOREA (Jan 7) US 1st Cavalry Division, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Battalion – DOD announces battalion will deploy to SK as part of Pacific rebalancing starting (Feb 1) for 9-month rotation; equipment will remain in SK (DOD) EUROPE NONE

December 29 - January 4 Weekly Log Updates

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE December 29 – January 04

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Jan 2) @ Mombasa, Kenya; Task Force arrives for 4-day visit, Hosts visits by Kenyan government officials (Peoples Daily) 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE (Dec 31) @ Jeddah, SA; PLAN Yancheng departs escort patrol in Gulf of Aden, en-route to Mediterranean to escort Syrian chemical weapons ship (Peoples Daily); Frigates conduct live weapons fire training (Peoples Daily) PLAN Liaoning (Carrier) (Jan 1) @ Qingdao; Carrier returns to homeport from training in S. China Sea (Peoples Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE NO NEWS RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE (Dec UNITED KINGDOM HMS Illustrious (Carrier) (Jan 3) @ Suez Canal; UK Carrier passes through Suez Canal after stop at Goa, India, is en-route home (UK-RN) HMS Westminster (Frigate) (Jan 2) @ Dar es Salaam; UK Frigate visited Tanzania in December to facilitate a 3-day maritime boarding training package with LEDET (UK-RN) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS NO NEWS US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS NO NEWS US WARSHIPS USS Monterey (CG-61) (Jan 2) @ Atlantic; USN Cruiser is transiting Atlantic, is returning home after 9-month deployment (USN-PIC) USS Stout (DDG-55) (Dec 24) @ Limassol, Cyprus; US Destroyer reaches halfway point of their Mediterranean deployment, make port visit to celebrate holidays (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) NO NEWS NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) NO NEWS

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC NONE EUROPE NONE