Mistral Express: Corvette Spica bars port entry

Augusta - For the time being remain outside Italian territorial waters from the ferry left from Libya on Sunday afternoon, with over a thousand and 800 people on board, and directed at Augusta. The ship, flying the flag of Morocco, had asked last night to the port authorities of the city Megarian permission berth for refueling, but corvette MM Spica P403 had radioed the captain not to enter the territorial waters .

The Interior Ministry has in fact asked the Defense Ministry to avoid the first approach to clarify the persons on board and on their intentions. The ship Mistral Express "(pictured), is playing in the early afternoon yesterday in Tripoli, carrying 1,836 immigrants, as well as 83 crew members.

According to information provided by officers of the same ferry, it would be of 1,715 Moroccans, 39 Libyans, 35 Algerians, 26 Egyptians, seven Tunisians, Malians 6, four Sudanese and Mauritanians 2. It would have been the Moroccan government to lease the ship to return home to their compatriots fleeing from Libya, but in reality it is not clear what the real intentions of the immigrants on board.

For this reason, the Coast Guard patrol boats of Augusta, Catania and Syracuse are all on alert.
The Mistral Express ferry that sailed from western Libya is now approximately 150 miles from the port of Augusta on Sicily's east coast.

It was blocked from sailing closer into Italian waters on the orders of the Italian interior ministry, officials said, while they found out who was on board and what their intentions were.

The boat was said to have been chartered by the passengers who had been working in Libya at the time of the revolt against Col Gaddafi. here

Ship Type: Passenger
Year Built: 1981
Length x Breadth: 144 m X 22 m
DeadWeight: 2295 t
Speed recorded (Max / Average): 21.7 / 21.6 knots
Flag: Morocco [MA]
Call Sign: CNA4026
IMO: 7915101, MMSI: 242582000

Gelibolu: Turkish frigate ferries Egyptians to Alex.

Frigate "Gelibolu" is transferring 81 Egyptians who had already left Tripoli. "Gelibou" arrived in Alexandria February 7.
Former USS Reid (FFG-30), Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigate recommissioned by Turkey G class TCG Gelibolu (F 493). They can accommodate S-70B Seahawk helicopters. The G class (Turkish: Gabya sınıfı fırkateyn(ler)) is one of the frigate classes of the Turkish Navy. They are extensively modernized versions of ex-Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigates. The "short hull" ex-Perry class frigates that are currently being operated by the Turkish Navy were modified with the ASIST landing platform system at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, so that they can accommodate the S-70B Seahawk helicopter.
TCG Gelibolu (F-493)
Class overview
Name: G class
Operators: Turkish Navy
Completed: 8
Active: 8
General characteristics
Type: Frigate
Displacement: 4,100 long tons (4,166 t) full load
Length: 135.6 m (444 ft 11 in)
Beam: 13.7 m (44 ft 11 in)
Draught: 6.7 m (22 ft 0 in)
Propulsion: 2 × GE LM 2500 gas turbines, 41,000 hp (31 MW)
1 propeller and 2 × bow thrusters
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement: 222 (19 officers, 203 men)
Armament: • 1 × Oto Melara 76mm DP gun
• 8 × Harpoon SSM
• 32 × SM-1 MR SAM
• 32 × ESSM launched from Mk-41 VLS (4 ESSM missiles per MK-41 cell through the use of MK25 Quadpack canisters, total of 8 cells)[1]
Aircraft carried: 1 × S-70B Seahawk or AB-212 (ASW/ASuW/EW)

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Kearsarge: docked in Souda Bay, Crete

David Ignatius says in video he is sure there are many other teams in there.
Amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge and the USS Ponce arrived at Souda Bay, Crete , carrying a total of around 4000 personnel, including 1300 US Marines docked at an American base .
The ships docked in Crete two days after 400 Marines, from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, also arrived in Crete.
Meanwhile, Canadian frigate HMCS Charlottetown plans to stop at Gibraltar on Wednesday to refuel. It's still unclear what the ship will do when it arrives at the Libyan coast on March 11.

Jalashwa, Mysore: Indian Libyan ships reach Alex.

INS Jalashwa and INS Mysore will reach Alexandria on March 8.

INS Jalashwa (L41) is an amphibious transport dock. INS Mysore (D60) is a Delhi-class guided-missile destroyer. The ships are also carrying helicopters and a contingent of marine special forces back

Rheinland-Pfalz : German flotilla at Gabes Tunisia

On Saturday, the warships pulled into Gabes. The Brandenburg and the Berlin anchored offshore, while the Rheinland-Pfalz docked. After the refugees boarded the Rheinland Pfalz, they were taken from there in small craft to the two ships offshore, while the luggage was transported separately in a speedboat shuttling back and forth.

The refugees will sleep in huge hangars in the belly of the frigates where helicopters normally are stowed away. Mattresses have been spread out on the floor, and each hangar has a large TV offering Egyptian fare. For the German navy, it was the first refugee rescue mission, and nothing was left to chance. The vessels brought along an Arabic translator, leaflets in Arabic explaining the rules on a warship - absolutely no smoking! - and traditional Arabic food for the three-day journey.
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Al-Nasser: Egyptian frigate in Tunisian port

Egyptian naval frigate El Nasser (F956) leaves the Tunisian port of Zarzis carrying 383 Egyptian refugees who fled Libya

In the 1950s, the Soviets provided China with four Riga-class frigates by kits. Designed in 1962 and generally based on the Riga frame, the hull form was changed from flush deck to long forecastle to accommodate the very big and heavy medium-speed diesel engine.
a guided missile frigate based on an a little scaled down 053K's hull, which became the Type 053H (Jianghu-I class) frigate (the 'H' here means 'Hai' (anti-ship))


The French helicopter carrier Mistral left the southern port of Toulon Saturday bound for southern Tunisia from where it will help evacuate Egyptian refugees from Libya.

Accompanied by a frigate it is due to repatriate Egyptians from the Tunisian port of Sarzis. The ship is due to arrive March 7 and reach the Egyptian port of Alexandria after three days at sea.

956 Al-Nasser (053H1): ex-PLAN #546

SAN GIORGIO, FRANCESCO MIMBELLI:Misurata

Italy evacuating from Misurata with naval ships FRANCESCO MIMBELLI (D561) and
SAN GIORGIO (L9892)


Francesco Mimbelli (D 561)
Lunghezza 147,7 m
Larghezza 16 m
Altezza m
Pescaggio m
Profondità operativa m
Ponte di volo
Propulsione CODOG:

* 2 turbine Fiat/GE LM-2500
Potenza: 55000 HP (40.441 kW)
* 2 Diesel GMT BL-230.20-DVM
Potenza: 12.600 HP (9.264 kW)

Velocità turbogas 32 nodi
diesel 21 nodi
Autonomia 7000 miglia a 18 nodi (con motori diesel)
Capacità di carico
Numero di cabine {{{numero_di_cabine}}}
Equipaggio 32 ufficiali e 345 sottufficiali e comuni (il 10% è donna).
Passeggeri
Equipaggiamento
Sensori di bordo

* radar:
o 1 radar 3D a lungo raggio Raytheon SPS-52C
o 1 radar di ricerca aerea Selex MM/SPS-702
o 1 radar Selenia SPS 768 (RAN 3L) D-Band
o 1 radar di navigazione SMA SPN 703 (3 RM 20), SMA SPN-748
o 1 radar di navigazione IPN-20 (SADOC-2) SYS-1(V)2 per sistema satellitare SATCOM
o 1 radar di ricerca di superficie e aerea Selex RAN 10S asservito al sistema Albatros
o 2 illuminatori per i missili SM-1MR
Raytheon AN/SPG-51D
o 4 radar SPG 775 (RTN-30X) asservito ai cannoni

Sistemi difensivi sonar: DE 1167

decoy antisiluro: SLQ-25
Armamento

* artiglieria:
o 1 cannone 127/54 mm Compatto
o 3 cannoni 76/62 mm Super Rapido
* missili:
o 4 Lanciamissili binati Teseo Mk2
o 1 Lanciamissili ottuplo
Albatros/ Aspide
o 1 Lanciamissili singolo SM-1MR
o 1 Sistema missilistico ASW Otobreda/Matra Milas
* siluri:
o 6 tubi lanciasiluri in due complessi trinati da 324mm per siluri MU 90

Corazzatura
Mezzi aerei 2 elicotteri AB-212 ASW

SAN GIORGIO (L9892)
San Giorgio class amphibious transport dock
Type: amphibious transport dock
Displacement: 7,650-8,000 tons
Length: 133 metres (436 ft)
Beam: 20.5 metres (67 ft)
Propulsion: 2 x Fincantieri GMT A 420.12 diesel engines
Speed: 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range: 7,500 nautical miles (13,900 km; 8,600 mi) at 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Boats and landing
craft carried: Three LCM, three LCVP and a patrol craft
Capacity: 350 men with 30 medium tanks or 36 tracked armoured vehicles
Complement: 17 officers, 163 ratings
Sensors and
processing systems: MM/SPQ 702 search radar, SPN-748 navigation radar, Selex RTN-10X fire control radar
Electronic warfare
and decoys: Elettronica SpA ECM/ESM suite
Armament: 1 × Otobreda 76 mm gun (removed from San Giorgio and San Marco to increase flight deck space), 2 × 20 mm guns.
Aircraft carried: 3 x Sea King SH-3D or 5 x Agusta Bell AB-212 helicopters
Aviation facilities: Flight deck with three landing spots, no hangar

Mistral, Georges-Leygues: Libya bound eagles

France's second-largest warship, the helicopter carrier Mistral, is heading to Libya, escorted by the frigate Georges-Leygues. The Mistral is scheduled to take part in a European Union-led plan to repatriate Egyptian guest workers flooding out of Libya to escape unrest.
The Mistral and the Georges-Leygues together could carry 800 refugees. The Mistral (L9013) is an amphibious assault ship, a type of helicopter carrier, of the French Navy. Georges Leygues (D640) is the lead ship of the F70 type anti-submarine frigate of the French Marine Nationale.She is the tender for the helicopter cruiser Jeanne d'Arc.


Mistral (L9013)
Class and type: Mistral-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:

16,500 t (empty)
21,300 t (full load)
32,300 t (with ballasts)
Length: 199 m
Beam: 32 m
Draught: 6,3 m
Propulsion: Motorisation : 2 Mermaïd electric motors (2 × 7 MW)
2 5-bladed propellers
Electrical plant: 4 Wärtsilä diesels-alternators 16 V32 (6,2 MW) + 1 Wärtsilä Vasaa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
Speed: 18.8 knots
Range: 10,800 km at 18 knots
19,800 km at 15 knots
Capacity: 2 barges, one Leclerc battalion, 70 vehicles
Complement: 20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 Quarter-masters, 450 passengers (900 for a short cruise), 150 men operational headquarter
Armament:

2 Simbad systems
2 30 mm Breda-Mauser
4 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
Aircraft carried: 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters


Georges Leygues (D640)
Type: Anti-submarine Frigate
Displacement: 3,550 t (3,494 long tons)
4,500 t (4,429 long tons) full load
Length: 139 m (456 ft)
Beam: 14 m (46 ft)
Draught: 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Propulsion: CODOG
2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 26,000 hp (19,388 kW) each
2 × SEMT Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engines, 5,200 hp (3,878 kW) each
Speed: 30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Range: 8,500 miles
Complement: 235
Armament:

Anti-ship;

* 4 × MM38/MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles

Anti-submarine;

* 2 × fixed torpedo tubes (10 × L5 mod 4 or MU90 torpedoes)

Guns;

* 1 × Creusot-Loire Compact 100mm/55 Mod 68 DP gun
* 2 × 30 mm Breda-Mauser or 20 mm F2 anti-aircraft guns
2/4 × 12.7 machine guns

CIWS;

* 1 x Crotale Navale EDIR octuple launcher (26 × CIWS anti-air missiles)
* 2 × Simbad twin launcher (Mistral 4 x CIWS anti-air missiles)

Aircraft carried:

* 2 × Westland Lynx anti-ship helicopters

Rheinland-Pfalz ;Brandenburg: to Gulf of Sirte

Germany has sent three warships to Libya to evacuate its stranded citizens, .

"Frigates 'Rheinland-Pfalz' and 'Brandenburg' as well as tactical support ship 'Berlin' are currently on their way ... to support the evacuation of German nationals," the spokesman said March 3.

"In total, there are around 600 troops on these three ships," he said, adding the vessels were heading for the Gulf of Sirte to the east of Tripoli.

The foreign minister there were approximately 160 German nationals left in Libya. Two of the vessels will pick up German nationals who landed in Malta earlier this week after being evacuated from Tripoli airport. The third is awaiting instructions and could be sent to Libya to evacuate more Germans.
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F 209 Rheinland-Pfalz', Bremen class frigates of the German Navy . The design is similar to the Dutch Kortenaer class

Displacement: 3,680 tonnes
Length: 130.50m
Beam: 14.60m
Draft: 6.30m
Propulsion: CODOG (Combined diesel or gas)
2 MTU 20V956 TB92 diesel engines, 8.14 MW total
2 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 38 MW total
2 Renk STG 150-50 gearboxes, 10:1 (diesel) and 720:47 (turbine)
2 propeller shafts, controllable pitch, five bladed Sulzer-Escher propellerss, later replaced with seven bladed ones from Wegemann & Co ("Bremen" only)
4 Deutz MWM diesel-generators, 750kW
Speed: 30 knots
Range: more than 4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 18 knots
Complement: 202 crew plus 20 aviation
Sensors and
processing systems: 1 EADS TRS-3D air search radar (three dimensional)
1 WM 25 combined surface search and fire control radar I/J band
1 Thales Nederland STIR 180 fire-control radar I/J/K band
1 Kelvin Hughes Nucleus 5000 I band navigation radar
1 STN Atlas DSQS-23BZ hull-mounted sonar
Electronic warfare
and decoys: ESM/ECM EADS FL 1800S
2 SCLAR decoys
SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo decoy
Armament: 1 8-cell launch system, 16 Sea Sparrow surface to air missiles
2 MK 49 launcher, 21 RAM each
2 quadruple Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers
1 OTO-Melara 76 mm dual-purpose gun
2 Mauser MLG27 27 mm autocannons.
2 Mark 32 324 mm twin torpedo launchers, 8 DM4A1 or Mark 46 torpedo
Aircraft carried: Place for 2 Sea Lynx Mk.88A helicopters equipped with torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles Sea Skua, and/or heavy machine gun.


F 215 Brandenburg
Displacement: 4,900 tonnes
Length: 138.9m
Beam: 16.7m
Draft: 6.8m
Propulsion: CODOG (combined diesel or gas)
two propeller shafts, controllable pitch propellers
two MTU 20V 956 TB92 diesel-engines, 8.14 MW each
two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, 38 MW each
two Renk BGS 178 Lo gearboxes
Speed: 29 knots
Range: 4000+ nautical miles at 18 kts
Complement: 200 sailors and 20 aircrewmen
Sensors and
processing systems: One Thales LW08 air search D band radar
one Thales SMART-S air/surface surveillance F band radar
two Thales STIR 180 fire-control radar
two Raytheon Redpath I band navigation radar
one STN Atlas DSQS-23BZ hull-mounted sonar
one STN Atlas LFASS towed array sonar to be fitted
Electronic warfare
and decoys: 1 EADS FL 1800S ECM suite
two OTO-Melara SCLAR launcher
four TKWA/MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill System) decoy launcher (currently under procurement)
Armament:

* Naval guns:
o One OTO-Melara 76 mm/62Mk-75 multi-purpose naval gun
o Two Rheinmetall Rh202 rapid-fire cannons to be replaced by Mauser BK-27 27 mm rapid-fire cannons
* Antiaircraft warfare:
o One Mk 41 Mod 3 vertical launch system for 16 Sea Sparrow antiaircraft missiles (ESSM planned)
* Antiship missiles:
o Four x MM38 Exocet antiship missiles (To be replaced by RBS 15 Mk. 3)
* CIWS:
o Two x Mk 49 launcher for 21 x Rolling Airframe Missiles.
* Antisubmarine warfare:
o Four 324 mm torpedo tubes, Mk 46 torpedoes

Aircraft carried: Two Sea Lynx helicopters equipped with ASW torpedoes, or air-to-surface missiles Sea Skua, and a heavy machine gun.
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HMS York: Rapid Deployment Team to Benghazi

A statement from the Foreign Office said: ‘HMS York is now on its way to Benghazi to pick up any remaining British Nationals wishing to leave. Those who can travel easily to Benghazi should make their way to the port. A Rapid Deployment Team will be on board to provide consular assistance. Estimated arrival and departure times will be confirmed shortly.’

HMS Cumberland: second rescue trip to Benghazi

HMS Cumberland, left Benghazi for Malta February 27 on its second rescue mission, carrying 200 people of various nationalities, earlier

Kearsage ARG: to Mediterranean? Just a guess

Many maritime nations, UK, Germany, India, Metherlands, China. have navy ships destined for Libyan waters. USN is silent as far as we can see. Kearsage last in news helping Pakistan relief in September.
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are the theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command. Kearsarge ARG is made up the following units; Amphibious Squadron FOUR (PHIBRON 4), the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and the amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce (LPD 15).

York: RN Destroyer from Gib to Malta for Libya

York, D98, was ordered to head east for the Libyan coast from Gibraltar


Name: HMS York
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Swan Hunter
Laid down: 18 January 1980
Launched: 20 June 1982
Christened: 9 August 1985
Commissioned: 9 August 1985
Identification: Pennant number: D98

Cumberland frigate had left the rebel-held port of Benghazi in eastern Libya on Thursday carrying 207 passengers but was forced to travel at a reduced speed because of the rough weather in the Mediterranean.

The vessel carried citizens from more than 20 countries -- part of a vast multinational workforce in Libya that includes oil industry executives from Europe and the United States and migrant workers from Africa and Asia.
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EGV Berlin: Deutsche Marine to Libya escape

The Berlin supply ship and the Rheinland Pfalz frigate were berthed in Malta's picturesque Grand Harbour, while the third vessel, the Brandenburg, also a frigate, remained offshore.
The Type 702 Berlin class replenishment ships are the largest vessels of the Deutsche Marine (German Navy). In German, this type of ship is called Einsatzgruppenversorger which can be translated as task force supplier though the official translation in English is combat support ship, or in military parlance, a replenishment oiler.
# Power Plant: 2 × MAN Diesel 12V 32/40 diesel-engines, 5,340 kW each; 2 reduction gears, 2 controllable pitch four-bladed propellers, 1 bow thruster
# Length: 173.7 m (569 ft 11 in)
# Beam: 24 m (78 ft 9 in)
# Displacement: 20,240 tonnes
# Capacity: 9330 tonnes of fuel oil, aviation fuel and fresh water
# Cargo space: 550 tonnes mixed cargo
# Speed: 20 kn (37 km/h)
# Aircraft: 2 × Sea King or MH90 helicopters
# Armament: 4 × MLG 27 mm autocannons, Stinger surface to air missile (MANPADS), 2 × RAM launcher (planned)
# Crew: 139 (+ 94), plus hospital capacity of 43 patients

In the next few hours INS Jalayashaya (USS Trenton) (L41) second largest ship of the Indian Navy India, and two destroyers will be dispatched from Mumbai to evacuate its citizens from Libya. 18,000 Indians are currently based in Libya, many of them work for construction companies. L41 can take 1000.

Class and type: Austin class amphibious transport dock
Displacement: 8894 tons light, 16590 tons full, 7696 tons dead
Length: 173.7 meters (570 feet) overall, 167 meters (548 feet) waterline
Beam: 30.4 meters (100 feet) extreme, 25.6 meters (84 feet) waterline
Draught: 6.7 meters (22 feet) maximum, 7 meters (23 feet) limit
Propulsion: Two boilers, two steam turbines, two shafts; 24,000 shp
Speed: 20 knots (40 km/h)
Capacity: 900-1000 troops
Complement: 28 officers, 480 men, 1436 marines
Armament: 4 × 3 in / 50 caliber AA gun mounts
Aircraft carried: capacity:6 UH-3 Sea King helicopters
Notes: capacity: Four LCM-8 landing craft housed in a hangar below

Maria Dolores: US charter reached Valetta

Philip J. Crowley, a State Department spokesman, said at least 167 Americans were on board the ferry Maria Dolores. The State Department has said 40 members of the United States Embassy as well as family members were among the passengers boatrded in Tripoli Libya which has now reached Valetta, malta.
Overall length
68.4m
Waterline length
58.8m
Beam moulded
18.2m
Hull depth moulded
6.3m
Hull draft (maximum)
2.6m
Deadweight (maximum)
260t
Passengers
600


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Maria Dolores: USA charter waits out weather

Some 285 people have been sitting on the Maria Dolores, a chartered ferry, since Wednesday, as the ship's crew waits for the stormy seas to calm, according to State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley says.
Libyan authorities had been "cooperative" during embarkation at As-shahab port in central Tripoli located on the sea road across from the Radisson Blu Mahari Hotel. High seas have kept the boat in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. U.S. citizens are safe on board the boat. It will leave for Malta when weather permits. 68 metre vehicle-passenger ferry “Maria Dolores” which was delivered by Austal in 2006.
9333448 MARIA DOLORES 9HBZ8 Passenger/Ferry 260 2006 Malta

Tromp: Dutch frigate Libyan evacuation backup

HNLMS Tromp (F803), De Zeven Provinciën class frigate [very similar to the German Sachsen class], The air defence and command vessel, which left the Dutch navy base at Den Helder just two weeks ago - will now leave the Red Sea and pass through the Suez Canal once again over the next few days as it heads north. Should an air evacuation prove impossible or Libyan air space is closed again at some point in the near future, the HNLMS Tromp will be available to carry out an evacuation by sea.
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