June 29 - July 05 Weekly News & Log Update

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE June 29 – July 05

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

FRANCE Task Forces JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE FS Mistral (LHD) FS La Fayette (FFG) LOCATION: Atlantic near Halifax, Canada (Jun 17-23) @ Canada; Task Force participates in Exercise LION MISTRAL with Canadian marines from 22nd Royal Regiment (with LAV and Bison armored vehicles) and 430th Tactical Helicopter Squadron, and assaulted Riviera near Gaspe Peninsula on June 20 (MOD.FR) (Jun 16) @ Canada; Task Force arrives at Halifax (MOD.FR) (Jun 4-5) @ USA; Task Force conducts joint exercise with US Navy (MOD.FR)    Med Patrol FS Cdt Ducuing (Frigate) FS Marne (Supply) (Jun 10) @ Mediterranean; FS Marne deploys to E. Med for several weeks to support French and NATO warships on patrol; Refueled FS Cdt Ducuing and FS EV Jacoubet while enroute; Refueled HMCS Regina and USS Taylor south of Crete (MOD.FR) (May 26 – Jun 24) @ Mediterranean; FS Cdt Ducuing conducts fisheries patrol off Malta (MOD.FR) Indian Ocean FS Floreal (Frigate) FS Nivose (Frigate) (Jun 24) @ Reunion Island; French Forward-Deployed frigates FS Floreal and Nivose conduct joint EXOCET anti-ship missile test (MOD.FR) Other FS Aconit (Frigate) ·         (Jun 20) French frigate returns to duty following 4-month refit and upgrade, begins 10-day final sea trials and gunnery tests (MOD.FR) FS Charles de Gaulle (Carrier) ·         (Sept 20) @ Toulon; French carrier hosts concert by symphony AMADEVs and tour for charity (MOD.FR) FS Latouche-Treville (Destroyer) ·         (Jun 28) French destroyer conducts coordinated EXOCET anti-ship live fire exercise on target dummy with Super-Etendard and Rafale fighters (MOD.FR)

RUSSIA Task Forces MED. TASK FORCE RFS Vice Adm. Kulakov (DDG) U/I LSTs LOCATION: E. Mediterranean NO UPDATES Other RFS Vladivostok (LHD) ·         (Jul 3) Russian shipbuilders say they’re able to service the Mistral-Class assault ships without further assistance from the west once they’re received (RIA)

UNITED KINGDOM Task Forces NONE   Atlantic Patrol HMS Argyll (Frigate) HMS Clyde (Patrol) HMS Iron Duke (Frigate) HMS Portland (Frigate) HMS Protector (Ice Patrol) (Jul 2) @ British Virgin Islands; HMS Protector sailors and humanitarian disaster team (HADR) practice Caribbean disaster assistance on Long Beach (MOD.UK)   Med Patrol HMS Diamond (Destroyer) HMS Enterprise (Survey) (Jul 3) @ Mediterranean; HMS Diamond completes duties as Syria WMD escort (MOD.UK) Indian Ocean Patrol HMS Defender (Destroyer) HMS Northumberland (Fr) HMS Somerset (Frigate) HMAS Darwin (Frigate) (Jul 4) @ Plymouth; HMS Somerset returns home from 6-month Indian Ocean deployment (MOD.UK) (Jul 1) @ Arabian Sea; HMAS Darwin seizes 6.2 tons of narcotics in raid on dhow, currently assigned to CTF-150 under UK command (GOV.AU) Far East Patrol HMAS Sydney (Frigate) (Jul 6) @ Malaysia; after participating in Exercise BERSAMA SHIELD 2014, HMAS Sydney football football team takes on Malaysian navy team at Lumut NB (GOV.AU) (Jul 5) @ Malaysia; HMAS Sydney visits Lumut, sailors visit Pemulihan Dalam Community Center (GOV.AU) Other HMS Illustrious (Carrier) ·         (Jul 2) @ Rosyth; UK carrier arrives for HMS Queen Elizabeth naming ceremony, will host various dignitaries and events (MOD.UK) HMS Lancaster (Frigate) ·         (Jul 4) @ Scotland; UK frigate takes break following a week of training on the Perisher Submarine Command Course, visits the Scottish isles of Cumbrae and Brute (MOD.UK) HMS Queen Elizabeth (Carrier) ·         (Jul 4-7) @ Rosyth; UK’s newest carrier is named by the Queen (MOD.UK) HMAS Canberra (LHD) ·         (Jul 4) @ Melbourne, AU; Defense Minister visits both new LHDs, is briefed on progress of HMS Canberra, tours medical facilities onboard; Canberra has completed 2-sets of sea trials, final sea trials and commissioning are later this year (GOV.AU) HMAS Newcastle (Frigate) ·         (Jul 2) @ Sydney; HMAS Newcastle is testing new landing aid equipment installed during a recent refit in June (GOV.AU) HMNZS Te Kaha and Te Mana (Frigates) ·         (Jun 16) NZ government commits $446 million to upgrade HMNZS Te Kaha and HMNZS Te Mana combat systems to be compatable with Canadian and US systems, will be done in Canada in 2016 and 2018 (MIL.NZ)

UNITED STATES NAVY Carrier Strike Groups USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group – 1 USS Bunker Hill (CG) USS Gridley (DDG) USS Sterett (DDG) USS Dewey (DDG) LOCATION: Pacific @ California, Preparing to Deploy NO UPDATES USS George HW Bush Carrier Strike Group – 2 USS Leyte Gulf (CG) USS Philippine Sea (CG) USS A. Burke (DDG-ABM) USS Roosevelt (DDG) USS Truxun (DDG) LOCATION: Arabian Gulf, Supporting Ops in Iraq (USS Leyte Gulf @ SNMG-2) NO UPDATES USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group <Forward-Deployed: Japan> USS Antietam (CG-54) USS Shiloh (CG-67) USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) USS Kidd (DDG-100) LOCATION: S. China Sea (USS McCain @ CARAT) (Jun 30) @ S. China Sea; CSG departs Singapore following 4-day visit (USN) (Jun 27) @ Singapore; US cruiser USS Antietam sailors participate in COMREL to The Genesis School for Special Education while in port with CSG (USN) Amphibious Ready Groups USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group USS Mesa Verde (LPD); USS Gunston Hall (LSD); 22nd MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: Mediterranean (USS Mesa Verde @ Arabian Gulf) NO UPDATES USS Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group  <Forward-Deployed: Japan> USS Denver (LPD); USS Germantown (LSD); USS Ashland (LSD-48); 31st MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: Homeport (USS Ashland @ CARAT 2014) NO UPDATES USS Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group USS Green Bay (LPD); USS Rushmore (LSD); 15th MEU (USMC-Assault Battalion) LOCATION: Hawaii, for RIMPAC 2014 SEE RIMPAC 2014 Major Exercises CARAT 2014 PHILIPPINES PHASE USS Ashland (LSD-48) <BHRARG> USS JS McCain (DDG) <GWCSG> USS Safeguard (Salvage) LOCATION: S. China Sea / Philippine Sea (Jul 1) @ Philippines; CARAT concludes at Subic Bay with ceremony on USS John McCain following 3-days of amphibious exercises in S. China Sea with USS Ashland (USN) PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP 2014 JS Kunisaki (LST) LOCATION: S. China Sea   RIMPAC 2014 (June 26 – August 1) US USS Reagan (CVN); USS Peleliu ARG; USS Chosin (CG); 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: Pacific @ Hawaii (Jul 2) @ Hawaii; Australia assumes 3-commanding roles, using RIMPAC to practice amphibious warfare before delivery of their LHD (GOV.AU) (Jul 2) @ Hawaii; US Navy Surgeon visits PLAN Peace Ark while at Pearl Harbor (USN) (Jul 1-2) @ Hawaii; US 3rd Fleet hosts Military Medicine Symposium onboard USS Peleliu (USN) (Jul 1) @ Hawaii; INS Sahyadri arrives at Pearl Harbor for RIMPAC 2014 (NIC.IN) (Jun 28) @ Hawaii; US 3rd Fleet commander visits PLAN Yueyang (PEOPLE'S DAILY) (Jun 29) @ Hawaii; US Navy Surgeon General visits USNS Mercy while in port for RIMPAC 2014 (USN) (Jun 27) @ Hawaii; HMNZS Canterbury arrives at Pearl Harbor with Australian and NZ army troops, will participate in RIMPAC land forces exercise (Youtube) (Jun 13) @ Australia; Indian frigate INS Sahyadri leaves Darwin for Hawaii, is participating in RIMPAC 2014 (NIC.IN) (May 12) Canada announces participation in RIMPAC 2014, HMCS Calgary will lead multi-service TF to Hawaii (GC.CA) Other USS Howard (DDG-83) ·         (Jul 3) @ San Diego; US destroyer returns home following 7-month deployment to the Western Pacific (USN) USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) ·         (Jul 1) @ Poland; US destroyer visits Gdynia during patrol in Baltic Sea (USN) ·         (Jun 29) @ Latvia; US destroyer sailors participated in COMREL visit to Latvia’s largest children’s hospital at Riga (USN) ·         (Jun 28) @ Latvia; US destroyer visits Riga during Baltic Sea patrol (USN) USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) ·         (Jul 1) @ Norfolk; CVW-1 visits and tours ship for first time, preparing for training and deployment (USN) USS Virginia (SSN-774) ·         (Jul 3) @ Conn; US attack sub returns home from 14-week surge deployment (USN)

OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU Task Forces EUROMARFOR INDIAN OCEAN “OPERATION ATALANTA” (CTF-465) FGS Brandenburg (FFG); HS Psara (FFG); ITS Mimbelli (DDG) LOCATION: Indian Ocean (Jul 2) Gulf of Aden; FGS Brandenburg escorts the World Food Program ship “Naval III” from Djibouti to Bosaso (Marine) (Jun 27) @ Djibouti; FGS Brandenburg reaches mid-term of her deployment to the Indian Ocean anti-piracy patrol (Marine) 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)   LOCATION: Indian Ocean NO UPDATES 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 5) @ Malaga; Change of Command ceremony (Armada) (Jun 30) Spanish frigate SPS C. Colon conducted AEGIS-BMD combat exercises with US cruiser USS Vela Gulf, will be relieved by US cruiser USS Leyte Gulf as SNMG-2 Flagship next week (Armada) (Jun 27) @ Mediterranean; SNMG-2 integrates into NATO-ACTIVE ENDEAVOUR patrol following port visit at Sarayburnu, Turkey; will conduct 2-weeks of  anti-terror operations (MDE.ES)  UN SYRIAN WMD (UNSC-2118) FGS Augsburg (FFG) FGS Schleswig-Holstein (FFG) USNS Cape Ray U/I Denmark Ship (Jul 3) @ Mediterranean; FGS Augsburg begins Task Force protection duty, WMD destruction begins on USNS Cape Ray by Hydrolysis, expected to last no longer than (Dec 31) (Bundeswehr.DE) (Jun 29) @ Wilhelmshaven; FGS Schleswig-Holstein deploys to the Mediterranean to replace the FGS Augsburg (Marine) Other GERMANY (Jul 4-6) @ Wilhelmshaven; FGS Lubeck hosts open house tours during “WEEKEND AT THE JADE” event at German base (Marine.DE)  (Jul 2) @ Wilhelmshaven; EAV Flagship FGS Hamburg arrives home from deployment and cadet training cruise (Marine.DE)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS   CHINA NO NEWS     FRANCE MALI (Jun 29) A company from 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment will be returned to Licorn Force (Ivory Coast) during the next rotation in July, about 1,600 French troops are currently in Mali (MOD.FR) RUSSIA UKRAINE   (Jul 3) Ukrainian Defense Minister promises to retake Crimea; Army offensive in east Ukraine continues following the breakdown of ceasefire (BBC) UNITED KINGDOM ENGLAND (Jun 30 – July 11) @ Wales; Joint Exercise GALLIC MARAUDER 2014, UK and French air and ground troops conduct live fire exercises at the Castlemartin Range to increase the interoperability of  the UK-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (MOD.FR) UNITED STATES CENTCOM – IRAQ   (Jul 3) Iraq denies withdrawing troops from the Saudi border after Saudi Arabia deploys 30,000 troops to border to prevent infiltration by ISIS (BBC) (Jul 1) Syrian AF strikes ISIS targets in Iraq, kill 50 (Fox News) (Jun 30) US increases troops in Iraq to 775 to protect US citizens and property (Defense News) CENTCOM – ISRAEL (Jul 3) Israel mobilizes troops to Gaza border following murder of three kidnapped teens (DEBKA) PACOM – JAPAN (Jul 3) Japan cabinet passes resolution to modify Japanese constitution to allow for “collective defense”, China strongly protests (People's Daily) MULTILATERAL OPERATIONS NO NEWS