1 February 2012 On 23 January 2012, Commodore Ben Bekkering took over command of the Standing NATO Maritime Group One (SNMG1) from his Italian counterpart, Rear Admiral Gualtiero Mattesi. The ceremony took place at the Taranto Naval Base, Italy.
25 January 2012 On Tuesday 17 January 2012, the military security team on board the fallpipe rockdumping vessel Flintstone succeeded in repelling a pirate attack in the Arabian Sea. The marines used direct fire to confront the immediate threat of a grenade launcher.
19 January 2012 Minister Hans Hillen addressed the Atlantic Council in Washington on 12 January. He called for NATO’s high ‘triple A’ security status to be maintained, particularly in an age of austerity. During his working visit to the United States, Mr Hillen also...
19 January 2012 Minister of Defence Hans Hillen and his American counterpart Leon Panetta met in Washington on 12 January to discuss the Strategic Defence Review. In that review, President Obama and Mr Panetta announced that their military will focus its attention...
19 January 2012 Air defence and command frigate HNLMS De Ruyter left her home port of Den Helder on 12 January to serve as the flagship for Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1). This NATO maritime group will be under Dutch command for a year from 23 January.