May 4-10 Weekly News and Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE May 4 - 10

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE ·         NONE FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         Task Force:  FS Cmdt Blaison ·         NONE JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE ·         Task Force: FS Mistral (Assault Ship); FS La Fayette (Frigate) ·         NONE FS Charles de Gaulle (Carrier) ·         (May 5) @ Toulon; French carrier begins 1-month of periodic maintenance following heavy training in Mediterranean (MOD.FR) FS Jean Bart (Destroyer) ·         (May 5) @ Toulon; French destroyer returns home from Indian Ocean deployment (MOD.FR) RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE ·         (May 7) @ Mediterranean; Northern Fleet destroyer RFS V. Adm. Kulakov (DDG) joins task force as new FLAGSHIP, replaces RFS Pyotr Veliky (Cruiser) and RFS Adm. Levchenko (DDG), task force currently consists of a dozen warships and auxiliaries (RIA Novosti) RFS Varyag (Cruiser) ·         (May 7) @ Pacific; Russian battle group lead by cruiser RFS Varyag departs for major joint exercise with China (RIA Novosti)   UNITED KINGDOM HMS Dragon (Destroyer) ·         (May 14) @ Cardiff; UK destroyer will visit adopted home city for 5-days, hosting tours by local schools and officials, will be open to the public (MOD.UK) ·         (May 8) @ English Channel; UK destroyer HMS Dragon escorts Russian carrier RFS Kuznetsov and cruiser RFS Pyotr Veliky through the channel on way back to home port, plans to continue drilling in North Sea, then return home in late May (Telegraph) (RIA Novosti) UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS Roosevelt (CVN-71) ·         (May 5-6) @ Atlantic; US Carrier completes ammo onload from USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE-13) (USN) US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS ·         NONE   US WARSHIPS USS Carney (DDG-64) ·         (May 8) @ Spain; US destroyer departs El Ferrol, hosted visits by local officials, the US ambassador and sailors from the Spanish frigate SPS Blaz de Lezo (USN) USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) ·         (May 6) @ Pearl Harbor; US Attack Sub returns home from WESTPAC deployment (USN) USS Hopper (DDG-70) ·          arb(May 6) @ Pearl Harbor; US destroyer returns from 8-month WESTPAC deployment (USN) USS Ramage (DDG-61) ·         (May 4) @ Norfolk; USN destroyer returns home following 9-month deployment to the US 6th Fleet (USN) USS Rentz (FFG-46) ·         (May 9) @ San Diego; US frigate is decommissioned following 30-years of service (USN) USS Taylor (FFG-50) ·         (May 8) @ Georgia; US frigate visits Batumi, hosts ship tours and conducts VBSS training with Georgian Coast Guard (USN) USS Vandergrift (FFG-48) ·         (May 9) @ San Diego; US frigate departs for 4th Fleet / SOUTHCOM deployment to “Operation Martillo” anti-drug patrol off Central America (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) ·         (Apr 30) @ Indian Ocean; French frigate FS Floreal responds to medical emergency on Liberian container ship, evacuates sailor and delivers to Oman (MOD.FR) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) ·         NONE NATO – SNMG-1 ·         NONE NATO – SNMG-2 ·         SEE OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD GERMANY ·         (May 9-11) @ Hamburg; German frigate FGS Hamburg is open for tours, celebrating the 825th birthday of the city (Bundeswehr) ·         (May 6) @ Mediterranean; German frigate FGS Augsburg receives command of Finnish boarding team, currently protecting USNS Cape Ray in mission to destroy Syria chemical weapons (Bundeswehr)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

CHINA NONE FRANCE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ·         (May 5) @ Bemal; 40-militants attack French army patrol, fighting for 3-hours with heavy weapons until nightfall (MOD.FR) RUSSIA UKRAINE ·         (May 9) @ Mariupol; Ukrainian army sieges police HQ captured by pro-Russian militants, media reports 7-killed, dozens injured (BBC) ·         (May 5) @ Slavyansk; Ukrainian army resumes assault of pro-Russian militia, 4-troops killed, 1-helicopter shot down, rebels retreat to city center (BBC) ·         (May 4) @ Crimea; Russian AF buzzes Simferopol, include heavy bombers, MIG-29, SU-34 and refueling aircraft (Yahoo)   UNITED KINGDOM AFGHANISTAN ·         (May 10) UK DEFSEC observes closing of last UK Observation Post Sterga in Helmand by 4 Scots, last remaining bases are at Camp Bastion, and in Kabul and Kandahar, under NATO or US command (GOV.UK) ·         (May 8) UK 20 Armored Brigade prepares to replace 7th Armored Brigade, the HERRICK-20 final rotation includes 4100-troops UNITED STATES AFGHANISTAN ·         (May 3) 4th Infantry Division, 4th Brigade – KIA (Non-Combat) (DOD) NIGERIA ·         (May 9) US prepares to send 12-man training team for 35-mission to Nigeria to train their newly formed 650-man Ranger battalion in response to an attack by Boku Haram Islamic militia attack in northern Nigeria, kidnapping almost 300-girls and killing dozens (Defense News) PHILIPPINES ·         (May 5-16) @ Manila; Exercise BALIKATAN 2014 begins, involves 2500-US Troops and 3000-Filipino Troops @ Camp Aguinaldo near Manila (People's Daily) MULTILATERAL OPERATIONS SYRIA ·         (May 8) Jordanian forces clash with pro Al-Qaeda militants at border trying to cross illegally (DEBKA) ·         (May 8) @ Aleppo; Syrian rebels stage huge explosion in tunnel in effort to break army front line, destroys hotel and several buildings (BBC) ·         (May 7) @ Homs; Homs falls to Syrian army, 2,000 rebels and families evacuated by UN-Iranian observers, ending 2-year siege (Debka)

April 27 - May 3 Weekly News & Log Updates

WEEKLY NEWS & LOG UPDATE April 27 – May 3

NAVAL-MARINE OPERATIONS

CHINA 16th ESCORT TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS FRANCE WEST AFRICA CORYMBE TASK FORCE ·         Task Force:  FS Cmdt Blaison ·         (Apr 28) French patrol frigate FS Cmdt Blaison begins 3-month CORYMBE patrol in Gulf of Guinea (MOD.FR) JEAN DE ARC TASK FORCE ·         Task Force: FS Mistral (Assault Ship); FS La Fayette (Frigate) ·         NONE RUSSIA MEDITERRANEAN TASK FORCE ·         NO NEWS RFS Viktor Leonov (Intel) ·         (Apr 29) @ Caribbean; Russian intel ship and it’s support ship RFS Nikolay Chiker participate in anti-drug exercises with Nicaragua and Honduras (RIA Novosti) RFS Vladivostok (Assault Ship) ·         (Apr 30) Russia says delivery of two Mistral class assault ships from France won’t be affected by EU sanctions for the Ukrainian crisis (RIA Novosti) UNITED KINGDOM NONE UNITED STATES US CARRIER STRIKE GROUPS USS GHW Bush CSG ·         (Apr 27) @ Bahrain; US carrier departs Manama following 5-day visit (USN) ·         (Apr 23) @ Jordan; US destroyer departs Aqaba, conducted Change of Command ceremony and MWR tour of Petra (USN) USS Nimitz (CVN-68) ·         (Apr 28) @ Everett; US carrier begins flight deck qualifications (USN) US AMPHIBIOUS READY GROUPS & COMMAND SHIPS USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) ·         (Apr 29) @ Japan; US Command Ship begins 7th Fleet patrol (USN) USS Essex (LHD-2) ·         (Apr 28) @ San Diego; US assault ship departs dock following 2-year DPMA maintenance, begin underway sea trials period (USN)   US WARSHIPS USS Carney (DDG-64) ·         (Apr 29) @ Turkey; US destroyer departs Bodrum following port visit and MWR visit to Ephesus and Pamukkale (USN) USS Taylor (FFG-50) ·         (May 1) @ Romania; US frigate departs Constanta following port visit, hosted luncheon with Romanian sailors (USN) USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) ·         (Apr 30) @ Israel; US cruiser USS Vella Gulf and destroyer USS Donald Cook visit Haifa, participate in Holocaust Remembrance Day (USN) USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) ·         (May 2) @ Atlantic; US High speed vessel departs 6th Fleet AOR, returning home for maintenance, then will join 4th Fleet patrol (USN) OTHER REGIONAL POWERS / ORGANIZATIONS EU – OPERATION ATALANTA (CTF-465) ·         (Apr 25) @ Indian Ocean; French frigate FS Floreal assists 4-fishermen after departing Seychelles port visit (MOD.FR) NATO – OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD (CTF-508) (Patrolled by NATO-SNMG-2) ·         (Apr 28) @ Seychelles; Spanish frigate SPS C. Colon trains 16-coast guard students in VBSS team procedures (Armada) NATO – SNMG-1 ·         NONE NATO – SNMG-2 ·         SEE OPERATION OCEAN SHIELD GERMANY ·         (Apr 29) @ Gulf of Guinea; EAV task force conducts VBSS training with Ghana, Cameroon and Benin off the coast of Nigeria; FGS Hamburg and Oldenburg acted as target ships (Bundesmarine)

AIR-GROUND OPERATIONS

CHINA NONE FRANCE POLAND ·         (Apr 28) @ Malbork; France deploys 4-Rafale fighters to NATO air reinforcement mission to Poland (MOD.FR) RUSSIA RUSSIA ·         (Apr 30) a newly formed Russian army helicopter brigade begins training flights near Latvia and Estonia, equipment includes MI-28N “Night Hunter” and KA-52 “Alligator” attack helicopters, and MI-8MTV-5 and MI-26T combat transport helicopters (RIA Novosti) UKRAINE ·         (May 2) @ Odessa; pro-Russian and Pro-Ukrainian groups fight in streets, dozens dead and injured; @ Slovyansk; rebels shoot down Ukrainian MI-24 helicopters with MANPADS, capture pilots (AOL) ·         (Apr 30) Pro-Russian gunmen capture more government buildings in E. Ukraine (CBS) ·         (Apr 28) @ Kostyantynivka, mayor of city shot by pro-Russian gunmen (The Courier)   UNITED KINGDOM BAHRAIN ·         (Apr 28) UK Minister breaks ground on Royal Navy HQ in Bahrain (Royal Navy) ESTONIA ·         (May 2) @ Estonia; UK Duke of Lancaster Regiment, 1 Battalion, deploy to Estonia to act as OPFOR in training Exercise SPRING STORM (GOV.UK) UNITED STATES AFGHANISTAN ·         (Apr 28) US 10th Mountain Division, 3rd Brigade – KIA @ Baraki Barak District, Logar Province (DOD) (DOD) MULTILATERAL OPERATIONS NONE

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)