The Russian and Chinese Navies are to hold a joint exercise in the Mediterranean Sea in mid-May, a first in that part of the world. A total of nine warships from the two countries are to participate, Beijing said. “The aim is to deepen both countries’ friendly and practical cooperation, and increase our navies’ ability to jointly deal with maritime security threats,” Chinese... 

A Russian Ilyushin IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft Russia may deploy two reconnaissance aircraft to a French base in the Horn of Africa state of Djibouti where the US is reportedly leading its secret drone war in the region. Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Wednesday the deployment, aimed at conducting anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden, will only be carried out with the consent... 

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Thursday announced the upcoming launch of 10-day massive naval exercises in the international waters, the local satellite Press TV reported. Sayyari said at a press conference on Thursday that the naval maneuvers dubbed Velayat 90 will start on Saturday and will cover an area of 2,000 (1,250-mile) km stretching from the east of the Strait of... 

Iran's first domestically-built destroyer, Jamaran Iran’s domestically-built Jamaran destroyer has returned home from its first international mission after successfully conducting counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. Part of the 16th fleet of Iranian warships, the Jamaran destroyer and Bandar Abbas frigate arrived at Iran’s naval base in the Bandar Abbas port city, located... 

A Russian Space Forces (VKS) report circulating in the Kremlin today says that one of their Kosmos-2469 satellites currently in orbit over North America has detected a gamma ray burst of “unprecedented proportions” emanating from the United States Army’s main weapons base Dugway Proving Ground located in their State of Utah. According to this report, since the formation of what is described... 

Where is this story in the international media? The combined naval might of twenty-seven countries is concentrated off the Somali coast allegedly to fight the poorly armed pirates who continue to act with apparent impunity. Or is there something far, far more serious? Once again the Wikileaks cables come into play. And what is revealed is terrifying. According to a report allegedly prepared by Admiral... 

USS Nassau: More US naval-air-marine muscle off Iran Debkafile’s military sources report that Washington has posted a third carrier opposite Iran’s shores. It is supported by amphibious assault ships and up to 4,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel, bringing the total US strength in these waters to three carriers and 10,000 combat personnel. The USS Nassau (LHA-4) Amphibious Ready Group... 

Somali hijackers said on Saturday they had released the German ship Victoria and its crew which they had been holding for three months after being paid a ransom of $1.8 million. “We have released the ship and its crew overnight after receiving a ransom. It is free now and gone,” Mohamed Abdi, a pirate in the Somalian coastal town Eyl told news agency AFP by telephone. A spokesman for the... 

Somali pirates do not randomly attack vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean; they rather select their targets via the help of a London-based consultant group. “Well-placed informers” constantly update control centers in Somalia, which ultimately give the pirates information about ships, their cargo and their routes, the Guardian reported citing a European military intelligence document...