UNIFIL |

Brazilian Frigate Liberal In Mersin

12 Feb 2017

A photo from the reception on board of frigate Liberal. From left to right: Brazilian military attaché, Governor of Mersin, Brazilian Ambassador, Mayor of Mersin, Commander of Meditreeanean Area Command; Commander of MTF-UNIFIL. Photo: Sözcü

The Niterói class frigate F-43 BRS Liberal arrived in Mersin, Turkey, for a 3 day port visit.

The ship joined the Maritime Task Force of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (MTF-UNIFIL) in early September. This is her first port visit in Mersin.

There was a reception on board of frigate.

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Brazil, Mediterranean, Port visit, UNIFIL

HS Ypoploiarchos Kristallidis And TCG Burak Appear On A Video

8 Feb 2017 1 Comment

Greek Roussen class fast attack craft HS Ypoploiarchos Kristallidis and Turkish Burak class corvette TCG Bafra, both assigned to UNIFIL Mission exchanged mail and other pleasantries.

Interesting part of the video starts at 2:14. For a very short time, a few other warships are also visible at the beginning of the video.

The video was prepared by TRT Anadolu Kartalı

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Greek Navy, Mediterranean, Turkish Navy, UNIFIL

F-42 Constituição In Istanbul

1 Aug 2013

The Brazilian Niteroi class frigate F-42 Constituição in Istanbul. Photo: Kerim Bozkurt. Used with permission.

The Brazilian Niteroi class frigate F-42 Constituição in Istanbul. Photo: Kerim Bozkurt. Used with permission.

The Brazilian Niteroi class frigate F-42 Constituição in Istanbul. Photo: Kerim Bozkurt. Used with permission.

After finishing her visit to Sevastopol, Ukraine, the Brazilian frigate F-42 Constituição, arrived in Istanbul 3 days ago.

The Niteroi class frigate F-42 Constituição took part as the Brazilian participant to UNIFIL. She was relived by the frigate F-45 Unitao by the same class in July.

Filed under Bosphorus Tagged with Brazil, Mediterranean, Port visit, UNIFIL

Russian Warships In Beirut

15 Mar 2013 1 Comment

The Russian landing ships Kaliningrad and Alexander Shabalin in Beirut. Photo: almayadeen.com

The port of Beirut is filled to the brim with foreign warships.

According to Lebanese almayadeen TV there are three Russian warships in Beirut.

The Ropucha class, large landing ships Kaliningrad, Alexander Shabalin and Neustrashimy class frigate Yaruslav Mudryy. All three warships belong to the Russian Baltic Fleet and are conducting a 3 day port visit. When they leave they will head to Tartus Syria.

The Bangladeshi frigate Osman. Photo: almayadeen.com

What the announcer on the TV fails to tell but is visible on the clip is the fourth warship in the background.

This is the Bangladeshi frigate Osman. She is part of the UNIFIL. The Blue UN flag on the main mast and the Bangladeshi flag in the jack staff clearly distinguishes her from the Russians.

And here is the photo of Yaruslav Mudryy.

Photo: tayyar.org

And this is the clip from the Lebanese Almayadeen TV.

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Port visit, Russian Navy, Syria, UNIFIL

TCG Zafer Still Active, Takes Part In UNIFIL

4 Apr 2012 6 Comments

TCG Zafer in Mersin. Photo: turkships.com

Turkish Navy’s sole surviving Knox class frigate, F-253 TCG Zafer is very active despite her age. Last year she took part in Operation Unified Protector. She had her photos posted on the Facebook page of USNS Kanawha.

I was thinking that she may have been already decommissioned but the old lady was seen today in Mersin harbor.

TCG Zafer in Mersin. Photo: turkships.com

The UN crest used by the naval vessels taking part in UNIFIL is clearly visible in the photo below, which was also taken today. This indicates that TCG Zafer is now taking part in UNIFIL mission.

So when the old Russian Kashin class destroyer Smetlivy arrives in the eastern Mediterranean in a couple of days, she will meet at least one other ship close to her age.

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Mediterranean, Port visit, Turkish Navy, UNIFIL

>UNIFIL News

27 Feb 2011

>While the attention in the Mediterranean is focused on the revolutions in the North Africa especially toward Libya this week, life goes on in other parts of the Mediterranean.

The maritime task force (MTF) of UNIFIL has a new commander. Rear Admiral Luiz Henrique Caroli of Brazil assumed command of the MTF of UNIFIL,on 24 February 2010, in a ceremony aboard Turkish frigate F-243 TCG Yıldırım, at Beirut Harbor.

Despite taking the command, Brazil did not send a warship to the task force.

Currently UNIFIL-MTF currently comprises from following warships:

Pennant	Ship	County	Type
F-243	TCG Yıldırım	Turkey	Frigate
F-18	BNS Osman	Bangladesh	Frigate
P-911	BNS Madhumati	Bangladesh	Patrol Craft
A-516	FGS Donau	Germany	Tender
M-1093	FGS Auerbach	Germany	Minehunter
P-6130	FGS Hyaene	Germany	Fast Attack Craft
P-26	HS Degiannis	Greece	Fast Attack Craft
P-266	HS Machitis	Greece	Patrol Craft
368	KRI Frans Kaisiepo	Indonesia	Corvette
Bosphorus Naval News

UNIFIL Force Commander Major-General Alberto Asarta Cuevas handed over the MTF command to Rear Admiral Caroli in the presence of representatives of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) as well as diplomats and officers from UNIFIL Troop Contributing Countries.

Major-General Asarta thanked Brazil for its contribution and praised the work of the MTF and the Lebanese Navy. Rear Admiral Caroli said he was looking forward to his task.

Click here to read the official text.

Yesterday, one of the Bangladeshi contributions to UNIFIL-MTF, Jianghu I class frigate F-18 BNS Osman arrived in Mersin for a short port visit.

She was again in Mersin in June 2010.

This time I was able to obtain a photo via a good friend.

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Mediterranean, Turkish Navy, UNIFIL

>UNIFIL Maritime Task Force

23 Dec 2010

>The composition of UNIFIL Maritime Task Force as 23 December 2010:

Pennant	Ship	County	Type
F-240	TCG Fatih	Turkey	Frigate
F-18	BNS Osman	Bangladesh	Frigate
P-911	BNS Madhumati	Bangladesh	Patrol Craft
A-516	FGS Donau	Germany	Tender
M-1093	FGS Auerbach	Germany	Minehunter
P-6130	FGS Hyaene	Germany	Fast Attack Craft
P-26	HS Degiannis	Greece	Fast Attack Craft
P-266	HS Machitis	Greece	Patrol Craft
368	KRI Frans Kaisiepo	Indonesia	Corvette

Filed under Mediterranean Tagged with Mediterranean, UNIFIL

>Italian Warship Commandante Borsini Is In Mersin

29 Jul 2010 1 Comment

Photo: Italian Navy

Commandate class OPV, P-491 ITS Commandante Borsini arrived in Mersin for a liberty call.

The ship is the flagship of the commander of UNIFIL Rear Admiral Paolo Sandalli.

P-491 ITS Commandante Borsini, is very similar to SAR vessels being built for the Turkish Coast Guard. Both are designed by Italian company Fincantieri and have the same hull.