Courbet News

France has informed NATO that it is suspending its involvement in a naval operation in the Mediterranean after the results of an investigation into an incident between French and Turkish warships, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday.Turkey's ambassador to France Ismail Hakki Musa had earlier told French senators that Paris was withdrawing after the investigation into the incident had been inconclusive and did not back Paris' claims.Ties between NATO allies France and Turkey have soured in recent weeks over Libya…

EU Naval Force welcomes French frigate FS Courbet to the EU Naval Force's operation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia. After navigating the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb strait, the French frigate FS Courbet has joined the EU Naval Force to relieve the FS Surcouf which has been on station since December 2012. The sister warships met in Djibouti for the handover. FS Courbet departed from her home base in Toulon, France, with a Panther helicopter from the French Naval Aviation 36F Flottille and a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) from Estonia on board.

Elements of the USS Nassau (LHA 4) Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) including the dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50), amphibious transport dock USS Austin (LPD 40) and the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71), carrying more than 2,700 Sailors, returned to Naval Station Norfolk and Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek May 4, following a six-month deployment is support of the global war on terrorism. Nassau ESG ships, which deployed Nov. 7, conducted maritime security operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) and supported theater security cooperation in the U.S. 6th Fleet AOR. Other members of the ESG, including the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), returned May 2.