April 20-26 Weekly News & Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE April 20 – 26

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS 14th ANNUAL WESTERN PACIFIC NAVAL SYMPOSIUM ·         (Apr 23) @ E. China Sea; Nineteen warships from 14th Annual Western Pacific Naval Symposium hold multinational exercise 1st Annual Maritime Cooperation 2014 (People's Daily) ·         (Apr 20-22) @ Qinghai; China hosts the 14th Annual WPNS, attended by various national warships, ship tours and crew sporting competitions held (People's Daily) …units include o    BNS Abu Bakr (Bangladeshi frigate) o    INS Shivalk (Indian frigate) o    PLAN Harbin (Chinese destroyer) o    Australian Navy Band o    Indonesian warship o    Pakistani frigate PLAN Huangshan (frigate) ·         (Apr 22) @ Pacific; Chinese frigate conducts live fire training for its marine commandos (People's Daily) PLAN Liaoning (Carrier) ·         (Apr 17) @ Damian; Chinese carrier begins interim maintenance period in the shipyard (People's Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         Task Force:  NONE DECLARED JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE ·         Task Force: FS Mistral (Assault Ship); FS La Fayette (Frigate) ·         (Apr 24-30) @ Brazil; Task Force visits Rio De Janeiro, hosts college students and members from the French community, then participating in a joint amphibious exercise MISTRAL DE BRAISE with Brazilian marines at Marambaia Peninsula (MOD.FR) ·         (Apr 14) Task Force completes CORYMBE phase with a series of amphibious exercises with African militaries (MOD.FR) FS Jean Bart (Destroyer) ·         (Apr 23) @ Arabian Sea; French destroyer participates in joint exercises with Omani navy 1000km south of Muscat (MOD.FR) FS Tonnerre (LHD) ·         (Apr 24) @ Mediterranean; French assault ship hosts next generation of helicopters (NH90-TTH Cayman, and 1-Tiger attack helicopter) for 15-days of training (MOD.FR) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS UNITED KINGDOM HMS Dragon (Destroyer) ·         (Apr 24) @ North Sea; UK destroyer intercepts and escorts Russian destroyer RFS V. Adm. Kulakov as it transits near Scotland (MOD.UK) HMS Tireless (Attack submarine) ·         (Apr 25) @ Indian Ocean; UK submarine concludes participation in MH370 search, HMS Echo remains on station (MOD.UK) RFA Wave Knight (Supply Ship) ·         (Apr 25) @ Portland; UK supply ship returns home following 15-month deployment to Caribbean (MOD.UK) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS ·         NO UPDATES US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS BH Richard ARG ·         (Apr 24) @ Okinawa; USS BH Richard off-loads 31st MEU and vehicles at Okinawa, underway period ending (USN) USS Boxer ARG ·         (Apr 25) @ San Diego; Boxer ARG returns home following 8-month deployment to WESTPAC and CENTCOM (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) ·         (Apr 24) @ Black Sea; USN destroyer departs Black Sea following joint exercises with USS Taylor (FFG-50) and Romanian frigates ROS Regina Maria and Marasesti (USN) USS North Carolina (SSN-777) ·         (Apr 26) @ Singapore; USN attack submarine visits Changi Naval Base in Singapore during 7th Fleet deployment (USN) USS Wayne E Meyer (DDG-108) ·         (Apr 24) @ Korea; USN destroyer visits Busan, SK (USN) USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) ·         (Apr 23) @ Gabon; USN high speed vessel visits Libreville, Gabon (USN) ·         (Apr 16-21) @ Gulf of Guinea; USN joint high speed vessel participates in Exercise OBANGAME EXPRESS with European, Atlantic and African partners (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) ·         (Apr 18) Indian Ocean; French patrol frigate FS Floreal joins the EU anti-piracy patrol ATALANTA (MOD.FR) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) ·         (Apr 22) @ Oman; Italian destroyer ITS Mimbelli visits Muscat, hosts delegation from Royal Omani Navy (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 ·         (Apr 25) @ Mediterranean; SNMG-1 task force assumes command of NATO-Active Endeavour anti-piracy patrol in Med (NATO) …units include o    FGS Magdeburg (German Corvette) o    HNOMS Thor Heyerdahl (Norwegian Frigate) <FLAGSHIP> NATO – SNMG-2 ·         SEE OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD GERMANY ·         (Apr 17) @ Wilhelmshaven; German frigate FGS Hessen returns home from EU-OPERATION ATALANTA patrol in Indian Ocean (Bundesmarine)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

CHINA MAINLAND CHINA ·         (Apr 18) @ Chengdu MAC; PLA-AF Division conducts live fire training (People's Daily) FRANCE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ·         (Apr 25) French Combined Arms Tactical Group “Dragon” deploys along the Bangui-Cameroon axis, currently 2,000-French troops and 5,600-MISCA troops are deployed in CAR for stabilization following civil war (MOD.FR) LA REUNION ISLAND ·         (Apr 22-23) Long range sortie and refueling exercise with 2-Rafale-B fighters and 1-C135FR from France to La Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean, and participating in a joint exercise with the 2nd Marine Paratroop Regiment (MOD.FR) RUSSIA UKRAINE ·         (Apr 26) Russia claims Ukraine building up military force near Slavyansk, includes 15,000-troops, 160-tanks and 230-APCs (RIA Novosti) ·         (Apr 23) Kiev restarts operations against Pro-Russian militias in eastern Ukraine (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM UNITED STATES NO NEWS MULTILATERAL OPERATIONS LEBANON ·         (Apr 15) 5th Regiment assumes command of Italian UNIFIL contingent at Al Mansouri Base in southern Lebanon (DIFESA)

April 13-19 Weekly News & Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE April 13 – 19

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS MH370 – MISSING AIRLINER SEARCH ·         (Apr 16) Task Force ships PLAN Jinggangshan, Haikou and Qiandaohu move search zone southward (People's Daily) PLAN Changbaishan (Landing Ship) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         Task Force:  Jean de Arc Task Force JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE ·         Task Force: FS Mistral (Assault Ship); FS La Fayette (Frigate) ·         (Apr 15) @ St. Helene; Task Force visits tomb of Napoleon (MOD.FR) FS Siroco (Landing Ship) ·         (Apr 17) @ Toulon; French LST returns from Indian Ocean deployment (MOD.FR)  RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS UNITED KINGDOM HMS Diamond (Destroyer) ·         (Apr 15) @ Mediterranean; UK destroyer reaches halfway point in deployment, takes on fuel and supplies from French tanker FS Var (Royal Navy) HMS Kent (Frigate) ·         (Apr 16) @ Portsmouth; UK Frigate returns to homeport following completion of JOINT WARRIOR (Royal Navy) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS Truman CSG ·         (Apr 18) @ Norfolk; Truman strike group returns to homeport following deployment to Mediterranean and Arabian Sea (USN) US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS BH Richard ARG ·         (Apr 17) @ Yellow Sea; USN assault ship assists in search and rescue operations off Jindo Island for the sunken ferry disaster (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Cowpens (CG-63) ·         (Apr 17) @ San Diego; USN cruiser returns home following deployment to WESTPAC (USN) USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) ·         (Apr 14) @ Romania; USN destroyer visits Constanta, welcomes Romanian president aboard (USN) ·         (Apr 12) @ Black Sea; Russian SU-24 “buzzes” USN destroyer at sea, made twelve passes at unsafe distance (USN) USS Howard (DDG-83) ·         (Apr 11-14) @ Philippines; USN destroyer visits Manila (USN) USS Lake Erie (CG-70) ·         (Apr 14) @ Japan; USN cruiser visit Osaka, participates in COMREL to Holy Family Home (USN) USS Spruance (DDG-111) ·         (Apr 17) @ San Diego; USN destroyer returns from WESTPAC deployment (USN) USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) ·         (Apr 15) @ Nigeria; USN high speed vessel delivers 46-pallets of aid as part of Project Handclasp in Lagos (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) ·         NO NEWS NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) ·         (Apr 15) @ Somali Basin; Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen meets leaders of Somali village Bandar Murcaayo to strengthen communication and cooperation with Somalis in this pro-piracy area (NATO) ·         (Apr 13) @ Indian Ocean; Task Force Flagship SPS C. Colon welcomes EU-ATALANTA commander aboard, conducts tactical exercise with FGS Brandenburg (NATO) ·         (Apr 12) @ Indian Ocean; Task Force flagship SPS C. Colon conducts PASSEX and boarding training with Omani corvette Al Shamikh following port visit at Salalah (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 ·         NO NEWS NATO – SNMG-2 ·         SEE OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NO NEWS AMERICAS NO NEWS ASIA / PACIFIC NO NEWS EUROPE UKRAINE ·         (Apr 18) Ukraine says crack-down on militias in E. Ukraine enters “Inactive” Phase following 4-party talks, but pro-Russian groups refuse to vacate government buildings (RIA) ·         (Apr 17) US General says pro-Russian militias are actually Russian soldiers in disguise (Defense News) …(Note: It’s a violation of the Laws of Land Warfare to do this, and makes Putin a war criminal) ·         (Apr 16) @ Donetsk Region; Separatists capture Ukrainian armor, drive it to Slaviansk, some Ukrainian troops defect or refuse to act against rebels, Kiev looking weak; NATO says won’t defend Ukraine, but will begin immediate deployments to boost alliance readiness (Yahoo) ·         (Apr 15) @ Donetsk Region; o    Ukraine announces start of military operation to liberate facilities captured by pro-Russian “militias”  north of Donetsk, start operations on Apr 13 to recapture government buildings and airport (Ria Novosti); o    Ukrainian forces recapture Kramatosk Airbase from militants, armor seen moving from Odessa to Donetsk (BBC) o    Ukraine confirms that militia fighters captured at Kramatosk are Russian troops from the 45th Airborne Regiment (Yahoo) o    COMMENTARY: by Edward Lucas (Daily Mail) “I hope I’m wrong but historians may look back and say this was the start of World War III” ·         (Apr 12) Pro-Russian protests spread from Donetsk, Luhansk & Kharkiv to regions around those cities; Slaniansk, Mariupol, Yenakievo, Kramatorsk and others ·         (Apr 7) Activists declare independent People’s Republic of Kharkiv and Donetsk Peoples Republic

April 6-12 Weekly News & Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE April 6 – 12

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS MH370 – MISSING AIRLINER SEARCH ·         (Apr 6) @ Indian Ocean; Chinese flotilla continues search for missing airliner (People's Daily) …units include o    PLAN Haikou (DDG) o    PLAN Haixun 01 (Rescue Ship) o    PLAN Jianggangshan (LPD) o    PLAN Kunlunshan (LPD) o    PLAN Qiandaohu (Supply) PLAN Changbaishan (Landing Ship) ·         (Apr 8) @ Zhanjiang; Chinese assault ship returns from multinational naval exercise KOMODO 2014 in Indonesia (People's Daily) FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         Task Force:  Jean de Arc Task Force JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE ·         Task Force: FS Mistral (Assault Ship); FS La Fayette (Frigate) ·         (Apr 1) @ Gulf of Guinea; French frigate FS La Fayette participates in Exercise NEMO 14.2 with Togo and Benin (MOD) FS Charles De Gaulle (Carrier) ·         (Apr 1) @ Mediterranean; French carrier conducts training off coast of Corsica, including joint training with French army NH90 transport helicopters from FS Tonnerre, currently conducting trials (MOD) FS Jean Bart (Destroyer) ·         (Apr 8) @ N. Arabian Sea; French destroyer integrates into USS Bush CSG (MOD) FS Nivose (Frigate) ·         (Mar 29) @ Indian Ocean; French patrol frigate intercepts five illegal fishing ships in Mozambique Cannel (MOD) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (Udaloy Class Destroyer) ·         (Apr 8) @ Straits of Malacca; Russian destroyer task force enters Indian Ocean, en-route to Karachi, Pakistan (RIA Novosti) ·         (Mar 29 – Apr 3) @ S. China Sea; Russian destroyer task force participates in multinational naval exercise KOMODO 2014 (RIA Novosti) …units include o    RFS Marshal Shaposhnikov (DDG) o    RFS Irkut (Tanker) o    RFS Alatau (Services Ship) UNITED KINGDOM HMS Portland (Frigate) ·         (Apr 11) @ South Africa; UK frigate visits Cape Town for 3-days following anti-submarine training with S. African sub Charlotte Maxeke (Royal Navy) ·         (Apr 10) @ Angola; UK frigate visits Luanda, conducts capability demonstration with senior military leaders (Royal Navy) ·         (Apr 7) @ Sao Tome; UK frigate visits ST&P, welcomes Prime Minister aboard (Royal Navy) HMS Queen Elizabeth (Carrier) ·         (Apr 8) UK sailors intern on USN carrier USS Truman during strike operations in Arabian Gulf, gaining flight deck experience (Royal Navy)   AUSTRALIAN DEFENSE FORCES HMAS Success (Supply Ship) ·         (Apr 12) Indian Ocean; Australian supply ship continues search for MH370, welcomes Chinese commander of PLAN Haikou (destroyer) aboard (GOV.AU) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS ·         NO NEWS US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS America (LHA-6) ·         (Apr 10) @ Pascagoula, MS; US Navy accepts delivery of new America Class LHA assault ship (USN)     US WARSHIPS USS Donald Cook (DDG) ·         (Apr 10) @ Black Sea; USN destroyer enters Black Sea, Russia complains that it may violate treaties (RIA Novosti) USS Lake Erie (CG-70) ·         (Apr 10) @ Japan; USN cruiser visits Osaka, Japan during WESTPAC patrol (USN) USS McClusky (FFG-41) ·         (Apr 10) @ San Diego; USN frigate departs for 4th Fleet deployment to USSOUTHCOM-Operation Martillo anti-drug patrol (USN) USS Ramage (DDG-61) ·         (Apr 7) @ Israel; USN destroyer visits Haifa, sailors participate in COMREL to Melav Retiree Center (USN) USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) ·         (Apr 12) @ Washington; US Navy christens new next-generation Zumwalt Class destroyer, a limited run technology demonstrator class of advanced stealth land attack destroyers designed to operate in hostile littoral waters (USN) USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) ·         (Apr 11) @ Ghana; USN and USMC forces complete 3-week law enforcement exercises as part of AMLEP initiative (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) ·         (Apr 10) @ Gulf of Oman; Korean destroyer ROKS Kang Gam Chan commander visits Spanish frigate SPS C. Colon during joint exercises (NATO) ·         (Mar 30) @ Gulf of Aden; ATALANTA commander welcomes Japanese task force commander from destroyer JS Samadare onboard French landing ship FS Siroco (MOD) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) ·         NO NEWS NATO – SNMG-1 ·         NO NEWS NATO – SNMG-2 ·         SEE OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD GERMANY ·         (Apr 11) @ Senegal; German EAV task force completes visit at Dakar. EAV is heading to Ghana, then Lagos, Nigeria next, and will be joined by Turkish ships TCG Gediz (Frigate) and TCG Heybeliada (Corvette) (Bundesmarine)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

AFRICA NO NEWS AMERICAS USA ·         (Apr 8) DOD announces adjustments to Strategic Force Structure to comply with the new START treaty, and will be implemented by 2018 (DOD) ASIA / PACIFIC NO NEWS EUROPE NO NEWS