The Royal Navy’s Hunt-class mine countermeasures ships are now equipped with one of the most advanced mine-detection sonars in the world, the 2193 Sonar and Nautis 3 system – and the last ticks have been put in the final boxes by the all-important people from the Maritime Commissioning, Trials and Assessment (MCTA).

The forces guarding the Rock of Gibraltar briefly left their day jobs behind to put on a show of the world’s toughest team sport.

Navy News has sponsored a three-metre long floral model of HMS Victory, now installed in the formal garden on Plymouth Hoe.

The Search and Rescue base HMS Gannet had a pivotal role in the organisation of the G8 Summit in Scotland.

Plans to commercially develop part of Portsmouth Naval Base have been halted after concerns emerged about the effect of the project on the operational aspects of the base.

The Royal Navy’s volunteer reserves celebrated their centenary two years ago – and now one section of the organisation has marked an anniversary of its own.

DID your ancestors serve at Trafalgar?

Friends and family watched with pride and emotion as the ship’s companies of HMS Brecon, HMS Dulverton and HMS Cottesmore held a last Divisions and Decommissioning Ceremony at Clyde Naval Bas, Faslane.

Veteran destroyer HMS Cardiff has taken her final bow.

Some time ago a group of former sailors who are now scattered across the country decided to visit the International Festival of the Sea in Portsmouth.

As thoughts turned to the European leg of their wide-ranging deployment, the Commander of the Pakistani 25th Destroyer Squadron, Commodore Asif Sandila, saw the name Commodore Amjad Hussain, Portsmouth Naval Base Commander, on an operational order, and wondered if it was his old friend from his training at BRNC Dartmouth.

Devonport-based Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland is back in the UK after a high-profile and varied two month-deployment to the Baltic Sea, including the multi-national Exercise Baltops 2005 and several historic visits throughout the Baltics.

Type 23 frigate HMS Kent has returned to Portsmouth following a major overhaul in Scotland.

Destroyer HMS Exeter has made a four-day visit to her ‘home town’ while at anchor in Tor Bay.

Two of the Navy’s trio of offshore patrol ships were on hand to rescue stricken mariners in two incidents on the same day.

A full-size replica of a Royal Navy Invincible-class aircraft carrier’s Harrier take-off ramp has been officially opened at RAF Wittering, where all Joint Force Harrier training is being carried out.

A celebration of the end of World War II and of Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar are the themes running through the Manchester Tattoo this weekend.

Preparations for the recreation of the journey bringing news of Trafalgar to London are complete and the process is under way – though this time the message originates from closer to home.

HMS Echo is due back home in the West Country on Monday after a mammoth deployment which saw her undertake much more than simply survey work.