February 16-22 Weekly News and Log Update

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE February 16 – 22

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE •    NO NEWS 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE •    NO NEWS PLAN Changbaishan (LPD) ·         (Feb 19) Changbaishan battle group completes the PLAN’s first blue-water training mission of 2014, including the transit of several rarely encountered straits by PLAN ships (People's Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS FS Aquitaine (Destroyer) ·         (Feb 20) French anti-sub Destroyer continues sea trials, obtains operational capability status in AS warfare (MOD) FS Charles De Gaulle CSG/GAN ·         (Feb 18) @ Toulon; French Carrier returns to homeport, resumes alert dockside status (MOD) ·         (Feb 15) @ Toulon; French Carrier Battle Group returning to homeport, French Chief of Staff visits ship and crew, congratulating them for a successful deployment (MOD) FS Primaguet (Destroyer) ·         (Feb 3-13) @ Norway; French Destroyer participates in NATO anti-submarine exercise in Norwegian fjords (MOD) FS Vendemiaire (Frigate) ·         (Feb 17 – Mar 7) @ New Zealand; French Frigate arrives at Auckland, NZ; participating in New Zealand’s MCMEX-14 with 13-nations (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE •    (Feb 20) Russia plans to strengthen task force with new stealth subs (Project-636 Varshavyanka Class, diesel-electric) following their delivery to the Black Sea Fleet in 2015 (RIA Novosti)   UNITED KINGDOM HMS Montrose (Frigate) ·         (Feb 18) @ Mediterranean; UK Frigate completes escort of Syrian chemical weapons with Danish combat support ship HDMS Ebsern Snare (Royal Navy) HMS Portland (Frigate) ·         (Feb 18) @ Cape Verde; UK Frigate conducts anti-narcotic joint training with Cape Verde Coast Guard (Royal Navy) HMS Queen Elizabeth (Carrier) ·         (Feb 22) Her Majesty the Queen will name and christen the new carrier on July 4th, 2014; Sea Trials are planned for 2017 and flight trials are planned for 2018 (GOV) HMS Richmond (Frigate) ·         (Feb 21) @ Portsmouth; UK Frigate returns home following successful 7-month Atlantic patrol (Royal Navy) HMAS Melbourne (Australian Frigate) ·         (Feb 23) @ Oman; JTF-633 Commander visits Australian frigate while taking on supplies at Muscat, congratulates crew for successful patrol, frigate plans to arrive at homeport in mid-March (GOV) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS ·          NO NEWS   US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Bataan ARG ·         (Feb 16) @ Atlantic; Bataan-ARG enters 6th Fleet AOR, is en-route to Indian Ocean (USN) USS BH Richard ARG •    (Feb 19) @ S. China Sea; USS Denver conducts survivability exercise (TSSE) (USN) •    (Feb 17) @ Sasebo; USS BH Richard deploys for WESTPAC patrol, will join USS Denver and Ashland at later date (USN) •    (Feb 16) @ Gulf of Thailand; USS Denver (LPD-9) completes COBRA GOLD 2014 exercises hosted in Thailand (USN) USS Makin Island (LHD-8) ·         (Feb 14) @ San Diego; USN Assault Ship completes ammo on-load, preparing for upcoming deployment (USN) USS San Diego (LPD-22) ·         (Feb 18) @ San Diego; USN Amphibious Transport Dock Ship departs to participate in Underway Recovery Test in support of NASA’s Orion program (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Columbus (SSN-762) ·         (Feb 19) @ Pearl Harbor; USN Attack Sub deploys to 7th Fleet AOR / WESTPAC (USN) USS Greenville (SSN-772) ·         (Feb 15) @ Pearl Harbor; USN Attack Sub deploys to 7th Fleet AOR / WESTPAC (USN) USS Kidd (DDG-100) ·         (Feb 15) @ Australia; USN Destroyer arrives in Darwin for port visit (USN) USS Spruance (DDG-111) ·         (Feb 14) @ Brunei; USN Destroyer visits Muara during its maiden deployment to the Pacific (USN) USS Taylor (FFG-50) ·         (Feb 12) @ Turkey; USN Frigate runs aground while preparing to moor at Samsun on the Black Sea. Frigate is being inspected for damage. Frigate is currently assigned to provide security at the Sochi Olympics as part of its 6th Fleet deployment duties (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) •    (Feb 18) @ Mauritania; FS Siroco (French LST) concludes 2-weeks of training of 16-Mauritanian Coast Guardsmen (MOD) •    (Feb 17) @ Indian Ocean; FGS Hessen (German Frigate) transfers injured fisherman from FS Siroco (French LST) onboard for medical attention in the Frigates hospital, and transfers the patient to Oman (Bundesmarine) •    (Feb 13) @ Indian Ocean; FS Siroco (French LST) performs medical evacuation of fisherman from Korean trawler off coast of Somalia (MOD) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) •    (Feb 21) @ Gulf of aden; HNLMS Evertsen (Netherlands Frigate) rescued 8-Yemeni seamen 50-miles north of Qandala, Somalia (NATO) •    (Feb 21) HMNZS Te Mana (New Zealand Frigate) concludes NATO patrol (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 •    NO NEWS GERMANY ·         (Feb 20) @ North Sea; EAV-14 and SNMG-1 ships gather for joint NATO anti-sub exercise “DYNAMIC MONGOOSE”, commander of SNMG-1 visits EAV-14 command ship FGS Hamburg (Frigate) and integrates all 5-german ships for exercise (Bundesmarine)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC CHINA ·         (Feb 19) @ Chengdu MAC; PLA-AF Brigade conducted a simulated battlefield environment training exercise to improve combat effectiveness of AF ground units (Peoples Daily) ·         (Feb 15-16) PLA 13th Army Group holds comprehensive combat skills exercises (People's Daily) RUSSIA ·         (Feb 21) @ Astrakhan; Russian AF receives new prototype stealth fighter Sukhoi T-50 “PAK-FA” for testing “ (RIA Novosti) ·         (Feb 21) Russian Army will adopt the new Ratnik / AK-12 “Future Soldier” gear this summer; the gear is currently in it’s final stages of testing by Russian paratroopers (RIA Novosti) EUROPE FRANCE (in CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC) ·         (Feb 18-19) @ Gamboula; 2-French Army Mechanized platoons patrol border near Cameroon, near Gamboula, ensuring freedom of travel by the civilians from rebels and bandits, no obstacles encountered during 36-hour patrol; currently 600-French soldiers and 6,000-MISCA are in-country (MOD) FRANCE (in CHAD) ·         (Feb 14-15) @ N’Djamena; French Army 12th Regiment relieves 126th Infantry Regiment, assumes command of Army Force Epervier (MOD) FRANCE (in IVORY COAST) ·         (Feb 21) French Army 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment relieves 1st Marine Infantry Regiment, assumes command of Operation Licorn for 4-months (MOD) UKRAINE ·         (Feb 22) Ukrainian President flees capital as protesters seize government buildings; Parliament assumes it’s restored powers, fires Interior Minister, frees reform politician Tymoshenko, fires the President, and declares early elections; politicians in eastern Ukraine declare the measures are illegal, and declare it a coup (Slate) ·         (Feb 20) @ Kiev; Government confirms it gave police authority to use live ammo on protesters prior to deadly clashes (RIA Novosti) ·         (Feb 20) EU foreign ministers discuss placing arms embargo and sanctions on Ukraine following deadly clashes (RIA Novosti) ·         (Feb 20) @ Kiev; News sources report at least 21 have been killed following a truce breakdown between police and protesters on Wednesday, Russian sources report 50-killed (BBC)

February 09-15 Weekly Log Update

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE February 09 – 15

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORCE •    NO NEWS 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE •    (Feb 10) @ Mediterranean; PLAN Yancheng (Frigate) completes escort of chemical weapons from Syria for destruction (Peoples Daily) PLAN Changbaishan (LPD) ·         (Feb 11) @ Zhanjiang; Task Force stops at military port following 23-day patrol and training (Peoples Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         (Feb 4-8) @ Benin; FS Cmdt Birot (Frigate) visits Cotonou for operational break, and to share experience with Beninese military (MOD) FS Aquitaine & Latouche-Treville (Destroyers) ·         (Feb 10-11) @ Bay of Seine; FS Aquitaine and FS Latouche-Treville conduct tactical training at sea, including refueling at sea with FS Somme (MOD) FS Charles De Gaulle CSG/GAN ·         (Feb 8-15) @ Mediterranean; HMS Daring integrates into the French carrier battle group and escorts it from Red Sea into Mediterranean (MOD) FS Surcouf (Frigate) ·         (Feb 12) @ E. Mediterranean; FS Surcouf hosts the first deployment of a standard Panther helicopter from 36E while patrolling in Eastern Med (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE •    (Feb 14) @ Cyprus; RFS Pyotr Veliky (Battle Cruiser) visits Cyprus, hosts tour by Defense Minister Fotiou (RIA Novosti) RFS Vladivostok (Mistral Class Amphibious Assault Ship) ·         (Feb 11) @ Uliss Bay, Vladivostok; Russia begins construction on the naval facilities needed for hosting the Mistral Class Assault Ship being built by France for Russia; the basic infrastructure will be ready by October, 2015, and the base will be ready to host the ships by 2018 (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Iron Duke (Frigate) ·         (Feb 10) @ Plymouth; frigate completes overhaul, begins 2-months of OST, preparing for operations later this year (UKRN) HMS Westminster (Frigate) ·         (Feb 11) @ UAE; HMS Westminster hands over Arabian Gulf patrol duties to HMS Somerset during port visit to Fujairah (UK-RN) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS Bush CSG ·         (Feb 15) @ Norfolk; Bush Carrier Strike Group – 2 deploys to US 5th and 6th Fleet AOR (USN) USS Vinson (CVN-70) ·         (Feb 10) @ NAS North Island; USN Carrier completes TSTA/FEP maintenance period, and will move into the integrated training phase next (USN)   US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS BH Richard ARG •    (Feb 11) @ Thailand; Exercise COBRA GOLD 2014 begins, USS Denver (LPD-9) with staff from US 7th Fleet Amphibious Force lead the exercise (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) ·         (Feb 11) @ Spain; USN Destroyer (BMD-Capable) begins Forward-Deployment at Rota NB (USN) USS Elrod (FFG-55) ·         (Feb 10) @ Tunisia; USN Frigate completes port visit at Tunis, conducts PASSEX with Tunisian Navy (USN) USS Houston (SSN-713) ·         (Feb 14) @ Pearl Harbor; USN Attack Submarine returns from WESTPAC / 7th Fleet deployment (USN) USS Rentz (FFG-46) ·         (Feb 11) @ Pacific; USN Frigate completes 3-days of JTF-B flight deck qualifications off coast of Central America (USN) USS Virginia (SSN-774) ·         (Feb 13) @ Groton; USN Attack Submarine returns from US 6th Fleet deployment (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) •    (Feb 4-6) @ Djibouti; FS Siroco (LST) visits Djibouti, Admiral Bibiana visits Air Base 188 to discuss role of airpower in providing information, allowing the prediction of piracy, and aiding in the location of suspicious ships (MOD) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) •    (Feb 10) @ Seychelles; TCG Gelibolu (Frigate) visits Port Victoria last week, Commander Yuksel visits Seychelles Coast Guard to discuss future training opportunities (NATO) •    (Feb 7) @ Puntland; SPS Alvaro de Bazan (Frigate) visits Bandar Beyla elders and provided medical assistance to local population (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 •    NO NEWS GERMANY ·         (Feb 11) @ Wilmhelmshaven; German Navy begins EAV-2014 major naval exercise, involves various training exercise across a broad area for 5-months and 13-port visits from Arctic to Gulf of Guinea (Bundesmarine) …units include o    FGS Augsburg (Frigate) o    FGS Bonn (Supply Ship) o    FGS Frankfurt Am Main (Supply Ship) o    FGS Hamburg (Frigate)  <FLAGSHIP> o    FGS Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (Frigate) o    FGS Oldenburg (Corvette) o    FGS Spessart (Tanker) INDIA ·         (Feb 13) @ Bay of Bengal; month long major Combined Fleets Indian Naval exercise TROPEX’14 begins, led by INS Viraat (Carrier)( Indian Navy) ·         (Feb 13) India proposes long term maintenance contract with Russia’s Sevmash shipyards for 40-years of carrier maintenance for INS Vikramaditya (RIA Novosti) ·         (Feb 12-14) @ Kochi; INS Kalpeni welcomes and escorts HMAS Darwin into port, Darwin is currently en-route to western Arabian Sea to join operations with multinational forces (Indian Navy) ITALY ·         (Feb 13) @ S. Africa; ITS Cavour carrier battle group visits Cape Town, conducts “Operation Smile” medical outreach (Marina)

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC AFGHANISAN ·         (Feb 12) US 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), 2nd Battalion – KIA @ Kapisa Province (DOD) ·         (Feb 10) US 10th Mountain Division, HQ – KIA @ Bagram AB (DOD) ·         (Feb 10) US 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), 2nd Battalion – KIA @ Bagram AB (DOD) EUROPE NONE

February 01-08 Weekly Log Updates

WEEKLY LOG UPDATE February 01 – 08

NAVAL OPERATIONS

CHINA 15th ESCORT TASK FORC •    NO NEWS 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE •    NO NEWS PLAN Changbaishan (LPD) ·         (Feb 03) @ Pacific; Changbaishan battle group enter west pacific via Lombak Straits (Peoples Daily) ·         (Jan 29) @ Indian Ocean; Changbaishan battle group enter Indian Ocean and begin 10-day combat exercises FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS FS Corbet (Frigate) ·         (Feb 2) @ Mediterranean; French frigate FS Corbet conducts tactical training with Brazilian frigate União off coast of Toulon, France, União is currently en route back home after participating in UNIFIL naval patrol (MOD) FS Mistral (Amphibious Assault Ship) ·         (Feb 3) @ Atlantic; French assault ship is training in Atlantic in preparation for an upcoming Joan de Arc deployment in March (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE •    NO NEWS UNITED KINGDOM HMS Montrose (Frigate) ·         (Feb 6) @ Mediterranean; UK frigate has been working with Danish ship HDMS Ebsen Snare and Norwegian ship HNOMS Helge Ingstad since mid-January in preparation for escorting the ro-ro ships Taiko and Ark Future tasked with transporting Syrian chemical weapons components (UK-RN) HMS Somerset (Frigate) •    (Feb 5) @ Red Sea; Frigate refueled with USNS Laramie, then transits the Suez Canal (UK-RN) HMAS Melbourne (Australian Frigate) ·         (Feb 7) @ Indian Ocean off Tanzania; frigate seizes and destroys 353kg of suspected heroin (GOV) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS Stennis (CVN-74) ·         (Feb 6) @ Bremerton; Carrier will the first to install the new Consolidated Afloat Network Enterprise Services system (CANES) () USS Truman CSG ·         (Feb 2) @ Gulf of Oman; USN and French carrier groups conclude 5-weeks of combined operations   US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Mount Whitney (LLC-20) & USS Taylor (FFG-50) •    (Feb 5) @ Black Sea; USN Command Ship Mount Whitney and frigate USS Taylor (FFG-50) arrive to patrol and train with regional partners, and provide offshore presence during Olympics USS Bataan ARG ·         (Feb 8) @ Norfolk, Bataan ARG deploys to US 5th and 6th Fleet AOR (USN) USS BH Richard ARG •    (Feb 5) @ Pearl Harbor; US Navy announces the USS Green Bay (LPD-20) will replace USS Denver (LPD-9) in Summer, 2014, USS Peleliu (LHD-5) will proceed to 7th Fleet AOR to mitigate any gap in amphibious capability (USN) •    (Feb 5) @ Okinawa; USS Denver (LPD-9) onloads marines and equipment in preparation for exercise Cobra Gold’2014 in Thailand (USN) PCU America (LHA-6) ·         (Jan 31) @ Pascagoula; the USN’s newest assault ship has completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of , delivery is planned for spring, 2014 (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) & USS John McCain (DDG-56) ·         (Feb 4) @ Japan; USN Destroyers Curtis Wilbur and John McCain arrive at Tomakomai, Japan for the Sapporo Ice Festival (USN) USS Elrod (FFG-55) •    (Feb 6) @ Mediterranean; frigate conducts PASSEX and a series of sea drills with Royal Moroccan Navy Sigma-class corvette Allal Ben Abellah (FMMM-615) (USN) •    (Feb 2) @ Morocco; USN Frigate arrives at Tangiers for port visit, and plans to host tours and exchanges (USN) USS Halyburton (FFG-40) ·         (Feb 6) @ Caribbean; frigate assists in rescue crashed Panamanian helicopter during Operation Martello anti-drug patrol (USN) USS Kidd (DDG-100) ·         (Jan 7 – Feb 2) @ Western Pacific; USN destroyer completes Oceania Maritime Security Initiative with US Coast Guard near Marshall Islands and Nauru (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 NATO – SNMG-1 •    NO NEWS INDIA ·         (Feb 7) @ Indian Ocean; an Indian MIG-29 made the first ever landing on the newly refit carrier during its commissioning trials (RIA Novosti) ITALY ·         (Feb 7) @ S. Africa; ITS Cavour carrier battle group arrives at Cape Town, S. Africa (DIFESA)

GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NONE AMERICAS NONE ASIA / PACIFIC NONE EUROPE NONE