July 06-12 Weekly News & Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE July 06 - 12

NAVAL & MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA Peoples Liberation Army – Navy Task Forces 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE PLAN Huangshan (FFG); PLAN Luoyang (FFG); PLAN Yanchen (FFG); U/I Supply Ship LOCATION: Atlantic @ S. Africa, heading into Indian Ocean NO UPDATES 17th ESCORT TASK FORCE PLAN Changchun (DDG); U/I-(FFG); U/I Supply Ship LOCATION: Gulf of Aden NO UPDATES Other NO UPDATES

FRANCE Task Forces JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE FS Mistral (LHD) FS La Fayette (FFG) LOCATION: Atlantic near Halifax, Canada NO UPDATES Atlantic Patrols FS Germnal (Frigate) FS Ventose (Frigate) (CORYMBE) FS Cdt Blaison (Frigate) (Jun 23-26) @ Gulf of Guinea; FS Cdt Blaison cross trains Equatorial Guinea naval students in off-shore seamanship, navigation and firefighting (MOD.FR) Med Patrol FS Cassard (Destroyer) FS Cdt Ducuing (Frigate) FS Marne (Supply) FS Surcouf (Frigate) NO UPDATES   Indian Ocean FS Floreal (Frigate) FS Nivose (Frigate) NO UPDATES Pacific Patrols FS Prairial (Frigate) FS Vendemiaire (Frigate) NO UPDATES Other NO UPDATES

RUSSIA Task Forces MED. TASK FORCE RFS Vice Adm. Kulakov (DDG) (3-5) U/I LSTs LOCATION: E. Mediterranean NO UPDATES Exercises INDRA-2014 Naval EX (July 14-19) RUSSIA RFS Adm. Vinogradov (DDG) RFS Peresvet (Supply) RFS Varyag (CG) U/I Support Ships INDIA INS Ranvijay (DDG) INS Shivalik (FFG) INS Shakti (Supply) LOCATION: Sea of Japan @ Vladivostok, Russia (Jul 19) @ Vladivostok; Task Force debriefing aboard RFS Varyag (RIA) (Jul 17-19) @ Sea of Japan; Active Sea Phase begins in the Peter the Great Gulf, includes tactical maneuvering, artillery and missile drills, and helicopter deck-landing drills (RIA) (Jul 14) @ Vladivostok; Indian Task Force arrives (RIA) Other NO UPDATES

UNITED KINGDOM Task Forces NONE NO UPDATES Exercises JOINT NAVAL EX. UK Royal Navy HMS Dragon (Destroyer) HMS Lancaster (Frigate) HMS Richmond (Frigate) HMS St. Albans (Frigate) RFA Gold Rover (Supply) US Navy USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) Germany FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein (Jul 10) @ Atlantic; US destroyer USS Oscar Austin participates in UK Royal Navy exercise with HMS Dragon, Lancaster, Richmond, St. Albans and German corvette FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein; later refueled with RFA Gold Rover (USN)   Atlantic Patrol HMS Argyll (Frigate) HMS Clyde (Patrol) HMS Iron Duke (Frigate) HMS Portland (Frigate) HMS Protector (Ice Patrol) (Jul 11) @ Atlantic; HMS Iron Duke and Protector briefly meet off coast of West Africa (MOD.UK) (Jul 9) @ Cape Verde; HMS Iron Duke visits Cape Verde, offering training, and participates in Independence Day celebrations (MOD.UK) (Jul 7) @ Bermuda; HMS Argyll arrives for 4-day port visit, begins Caribbean patrol, conducts disaster relief exercise with local authorities (MOD.UK) (Jul 7) @ Canary Islands; HMS Iron Duke visited Tenerife for 4-days, begin West African patrol (MOD.UK)   Med Patrol HMS Diamond (Destroyer) HMS Enterprise (Survey) (Jul 11) @ Portsmouth; HMS Diamond returns home from 6-month Mediterranean deployment, guarding the Syrian WMD Task Force (MOD.UK)   Indian Ocean Patrol HMS Defender (Destroyer) HMS Northumberland (FFG) HMAS Darwin (Frigate) SEE UN TASK FORCES CTF-150 & CTF-151   Far East Patrol HMAS Sydney (Frigate) NO UPDATES Other HMS Ocean (Assault) ·         (Jul 5) @ Plymouth; UK Assault Carrier set sail for sea trials, has been in refit since 2012 (MOD.UK) RFA Argus (Hospital Ship) ·         (Jul 9) @ France; RFA Argus and French sailors at Brest memorialize battle between French and UK navies during Operation Catapult at Algeria in WWII (MOD.UK)

UNITED STATES NAVY Carrier Strike Groups USS Carl Vinson CSG – 1 USS Bunker Hill (CG) USS Gridley (DDG) USS Sterett (DDG) USS Dewey (DDG) LOCATION: CSG @ Pacific @ California (Preparing to Deploy) NO UPDATES   USS George HW Bush CSG – 2 USS Leyte Gulf (CG) <SNMG-2> USS Philippine Sea (CG) USS A. Burke (DDG-ABM) USS Roosevelt (DDG) USS Truxun (DDG) LOCATION: CSG @ 5th Fleet, Arabian Gulf (Supporting Ops in Iraq) LOCATION: USS Leyte Gulf @ Mediterranean (SNMG-2) NO UPDATES   USS George Washington CSG <Forward-Deployed: Japan> Carrier Air Wing – 5 USS Antietam (CG-54) USS Shiloh (CG-67) USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) USS Stethem (DDG-63) USS Kidd (DDG-100) LOCATION: CSG @ 7th Fleet, S. China Sea (Jul 11) @ S. Korea; CSG arrives at Busan for scheduled visit, tours and COMREL projects, CSG includes USS Antietam, Shiloh and Stethem (USN)   Amphibious Ready Groups USS America (SOUTHCOM Underway) USS America (LHA-6) 300-Marines (SP-MAGTF) LOCATION: Caribbean Sea (Jul 11) @ Pascagoula, MS; new US Assault Ship departs from Ingalls Shipbuilding; begins underway period and transit to San Diego; will visit Colombia, Brazil, Chile, Peru after completing Light-Off Assessment / AT Force Protection Cert / Crew Cert; Ship embarks 300-Marines of SP-MAGTF; America is the first of its class LHA assault ships, optimized for aviation, air assault and MV-22 & F-35B operations; America will be formally commissioned in San Diego on (Oct 11), and replace the Tarawa Class ships (USN)   USS Bataan ARG USS Mesa Verde (LPD); USS Gunston Hall (LSD); 22nd MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: ARG @ 6th Fleet, Mediterranean LOCATION: USS Mesa Verde @ Arabian Gulf (Iraq Ops) NO UPDATES USS Bonhomme Richard ARG  <Forward-Deployed: Japan> USS Denver (LPD); USS Germantown (LSD); USS Ashland (LSD-48) <CARAT> 31st MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: ARG @ 7th Fleet, Homeport (Sasebo, Japan) LOCATION: USS Ashland @ S. China Sea (CARAT 2014) NO UPDATES USS Peleliu ARG USS Green Bay (LPD); USS Rushmore (LSD); 15th MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: ARG @ Hawaii (RIMPAC 2014) SEE RIMPAC 2014 Exercises & Task Forces CARAT 2014 PHILIPPINES PHASE USS Ashland (LSD-48) <BHRARG> USS JS McCain (DDG) USS Safeguard (Salvage) LOCATION: 7th Fleet @ S. China Sea / Philippine Sea NO NEWS GUAMEX-2014 USA Commander, DESRON – 15 USS Pinckney (DDG-91) JAPAN JS Shimakaze (DDG-172) JS Kongo (DDG-173) JS Murasame (DD-101) JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) JS Akebono (DD-108) JS Ariake (DD-109) JS Akizuki (DD-115)   LOCATION: 7th Fleet @ Philippine Sea (Jul 9) @ Guam; US destroyer USS Pinckney completes GUAMEX-2014 naval exercise with (8) Japanese warships, practicing gunnery, tactical maneuvering, communications and personnel exchanges (USN)     PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2014 JS Kunisaki (LST) LOCATION: 7th Fleet @ S. China Sea off Philippines (Jul 7) @ Philippines; PP-2014 partners provided services to Tacloban pet owners to assist in efforts to eliminate a rabies epidemic in Philippines (USN) (Jul 5) @ Philippines; Philippines hosts a basketball tournament in Tacloban between US Navy, Australian, Japanese and locals (USN)   RIMPAC 2014 (June 26 – August 1) USA USS Anchorage (LPD-ASB) USS Chosin (CG); USS Peleliu ARG; USS Reagan (CVN); USNS Mercy (HOS) Australia HMAS Sheean (SSG) HMAS Success (SUP) Canada HMCS Calgary (FFH) HMCS Nanaimo (MM-Coastal Def) HMCS Victoria (SSK) HMCS Whitehorse (MM-Coastal Def) China PLAN Haikou (DDG); PLAN Yueyang (FFG); PLAN Peace Ark (HOS); PLAN Qiandaohu (SUP) India INS Sahyadri (FFG) New Zealand HMNZS Canterbury (LSD) Singapore RSS Intrepid (FF) Brunei KDB Darulaman (OPV); KDB Darussalam (OPV) LOCATION: 3rd Fleet @ Pacific @ Hawaii (Jul 10) @ Pacific; USS Anchorage departs for RIMPAC, is acting as Afloat-Sea-Base during exercise (USN) (Jul 9) @ Hawaii; Chinese TF departs for naval exercise area, prepping for at-sea phase (People's Daily) (Jul 5-6) @ Hawaii; US 3rd Fleet conducted 2-day “Scene Setter” for HA/DR phase of RIMPAC onboard USNS Mercy (USN) (Jul 4) @ S. China Sea; HMAS Sheean and Sydney participate in Exercise BERSAMA SHIELD 2014 (May 22 – Jun 4) off Malay Peninsula, Sheean is hunted by 5-navies, is transitioning to RIMPAC (GOV.AU) (Jul 3) @ Hawaii; PLAN Peace Ark hosts medical exchange conference (USN)   3rd / 4th Fleet (see Exercise RIMPAC-2014) 5th Fleet NO UPDATES 6th Fleet USS Mt. Whitney (LCC-20) ·         (Jul 3) @ Belgium; USS Mt. Whitney arrives at Zebrugge for BELGIUM NAVY DAYS 2014 (USN) USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) ·         (see UK Royal Navy Exercise) USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) ·         (Jul 11) @ Black Sea; US Cruiser completes EXERCISE BREEZE 2014 (USN) ·         (Jul 9) @ Black Sea; USS Vella Gulf participates in EXERCISE BREESE, hosted by Bulgaria; includes Greece, Italy, Romania, Turkey, and USN P-3 aircraft from Patrol Squadron-4 (USN) ·         (Jul 8) @ Bulgaria; USS Vela Gulf arrives at Burgas, preparing for NATO exercise (USN) ·         (Jul 7) @ Black Sea; USS Vella Gulf arrives in Black Sea (USN) ·         (Jul 6) @ Aegean Sea; USS Vella Gulf conducts joint operations with Turkish fast attack craft TCG Dogan and Marti, after departing Kusadasi (USN)   7th Fleet USS San Francisco (SSN-711) ·         (Jul 10) @ California; US attack sub deploys to WESTPAC / 7th Fleet for 6-months (http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=82166) (see Exercise GUAMEX-2014) (see Task Force CARAT-2014) (see Task Force PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2014) Other News USS Anzio (CG-68) ·         (Jul 5) @ Eastport, MA; US cruiser crew provided critical community aid during July 4th visit to Eastport, helping extinguish a house fire (http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=82098) USS Nimitz (CVN-68) ·         (Jul 8) @ Everett, WA; US carrier holds Change of Command ceremony, Capt. Ring assumes command, relieving Capt. Ruth (http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=82097)

OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU Task Forces EUROMARFOR INDIAN OCEAN “OPERATION ATALANTA” (CTF-465) FGS Brandenburg (FFG) HS Psara (FFG) TCG Gelibolu (FFG) LOCATION: Indian Ocean NO UPDATES EUROMARFOR MEDITERRANEAN SEA FS Montcalm (DDG); PS Vasco de Gama (FFG) SPS Santa Maria (FFG) LOCATION: E. Mediterranean NO UPDATES NATO Task Forces NATO OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) HDMS Esbern Snare (FFG) ITS Mimbelli (DDG) LOCATION: Indian Ocean (Jul 8) @ Tanzania; last week Danish frigate and TF Flagship visited Dar Es Salam, training Tanzanian navy personnel in ship protection, firefighting and damage control (NATO) NATO – SNMG-1 HNOMS Thor Heyerdahl (FFG) LOCATION: Mediterranean NO UPDATES NATO – SNMG-2 HMCS Regina (FFH) SPS Cristobal Colon (FFG) TCG Kemalreis (FFG) USS Leyte Gulf (CG) <GBCSG> LOCATION: Mediterranean “ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR” Patrol (Jul 8) @ Spain; Change of Command ceremony at Malaga, US Navy takes command from Spain (NATO)   UN Indian Ocean Anti-Piracy Patrol (CTF-150) HMS Northumberland (FFG) HMAS Darwin (FFG) LOCATION: Indian Ocean  (Jul 8) @ Indian Ocean; HMAS Darwin makes 6k kilo bust of cannabis during CTF-150 patrol (MOD.UK)   Indian Ocean Anti-Piracy Patrol (CTF-151) HMS Defender (DDG) JS Samadare (DDG) JS U/I Destroyer ROKS Munmu The Great (DDG) LOCATION: Indian Ocean (Jul 11) @ Oman; Begins patrol as part of CTF-151 with Korean destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great (MOD.UK) (Jul 9) @ Crete; HMS Defender visits NMIOTC NATO Training Center at Souda Bay preparing for interdiction and boarding operations in Indian Ocean (MOD.UK) (Jul 4) @ Gulf of Aden; MOD posts video explaining Japans role in anti-piracy patrol CTF-151 (YOUTUBE)   SYRIAN WMD (UNSC-2118) FGS Augsburg (FFG) FGS Schleswig-Holstein (FFG) USNS Cape Ray U/I Denmark Ship LOCATION: Mediterranean Sea NO UPDATES Other GERMANY FGS Bavaria (FFG) FGS Hamburg (FFG) FGS Hesse (FFG) FGS Meck.-Vorpommern (FFG) (Jul 5) @ Wilhelmshaven; Four German frigates (FGS Bavaria, Meckenburg-Vorpommern, Hamburg, and Hesse) ran day trips and tours for WEEKEND AT THE JADE Festival (MARINE.DE)   ITALY ITS Etna (Supply) ITS Grecale (FFG) (Jul 7) @ Strait of Sicily; ITS Grecale (FFG), Etna (Supply) and several patrol ships rescue 2,600 migrants at sea over the weekend (DIFESA)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS   CHINA NO UPDATES   FRANCE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (Jul 11) @ Sibut; GTIA “Scorpion” is replaced by “Magenta” to maintain security in eastern CAR, currently 2,000-French troops and 5,800-MISCA troops are deployed in CAR (MOD.FR) RUSSIA UKRAINE   (Jul 8) @ Crimea; Russian coastal defenses units begin exercise to defeat an enemy amphibious assault, due to constant NATO naval activity in Black Sea (RIA) UNITED KINGDOM NO UPDATES   UNITED STATES CENTCOM – IRAQ   (Jul 12) @ Ramadi; Baghdad sends 4,000-militia fighters to bolster Army forces fighting ISIS (FOX) (Jul 4) ISIS fighters with Humvees and APC, advance on Al-Muthanna AB and Baghdad Airport (DEBKA) CENTCOM – ISRAEL (Jul 13) IDF troops raid into Beit Lahiya area, N. Gaza (FOX) (Jul 10) IDF strikes 200-targets, HAMAS rocket fire reaches Haifa (DEBKA) (Jul 9) IDF-AF bombs 160-targets overnight, rocket fire continues (RIA) (Jul 8) Israel calls up 40,000 reservists, HAMAS rocket attacks continue, started 4-weeks ago, striking Ashdod port, Iron Dome intercepts several rockets (DEBKA) (Jul 7) Israel begins OPERATION SOLID ROCK, destroying strategic facilities and infrastructure, kills 5-HAMAS leaders in overnight airstrikes in Gaza following 4-weeks of rocket attacks and killing of kidnapped teens MULTILATERAL OPERATIONS NO UPDATES