NATO Exercise Joint Warrior 18-1 has commenced at Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde,Scotland.The expansive,all-domain drills are being staged from 21 April to 4 May 2018.More than 11,600 personnel from 17 NATO Allies and Partners are participating,including:
Australia;Belgium;Canada;Denmark;Estonia;Finland;France;Germany;Latvia;Lithuania;the Netherlands;Norway;Spain;Sweden;Turkey;the UK;and the US.*
Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 is taking part along with six extra ships.For example,the US Navy is sending two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers,the USS Ross (DDG 71) and the USS Gravely (DDG 107),as well as the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE-12).
Besides the ships,the US Navy is detailing a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from the "Tridents" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 26.*
JW 18-1 scenarios include multiple sovereign nations disputing resources and territory;counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling activity;information warfare;and evacuation operations.JW 18-1 gives the NATO Allies and Partners the chance to practice high-end warfighting between near-peer adversaries,across air,land,sea and cyber domains.According to the exercise commander,Captain Joint Tactical Exercises Planning Staff,CAPT Paul Pritchard RN:
This exercise gives the UK participants a chance to train with our Allies and Partners,honing our skills and developing our tactics.It is hugely important in making sure we can fuse all elements of our capabilities,enhancing our ability to conduct joint operations now and in the future.*
For their part,the US Marine Corps Reserves' Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company,Force Headquarters Group,will assist with airborne assaults;amphibious landing;and training in counter-insurgency,counter-piracy and interstate war.Live-fire exercises are also on the programme at various weapons ranges.
Said 3rd Brigade platoon commander MAJ Graham Perry:
The area we will be conducting the exercise is unique in that it is the only location in the UK where you can practice live combined arms and naval gunfire integrated with ground indirect fire as well as close air support.*
Close air support will be provided by aircraft such as the Apache and Wildcat helicopters,as well as the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber.
Showing posts with label USS Ross. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USS Ross. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Busy February:NATO Increases Maritime Forces in the Black Sea
In a move described by the US Navy as proactive rather than reactive,NATO has made a point of thoroughly exercising its maritime forces in the Black Sea this month.The activity is overseen by Allied Maritime Command,which is headquartered in Northwood,Slough,UK.The multinational HQ there is crewed by 300 officers,petty officers and civilians,all under the command of Royal Navy Vice Admiral Peter Hudson,who is the prime maritime advisor to the Alliance.The Command plans and executes all NATO maritime operations,including the Counter Piracy Operation Ocean Shield in the Mediterranean.It also directs Operation Sea Guardian,with tasks in support of maritime situational awareness;upholding freedom of navigation;conducting interdiction tasks;maritime counter terrorism;and contributing to capacity building. *
On 30 January,warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 cruised through the Bosphorus Straits to enter the Black Sea with Royal Navy destroyer and SNMG2 flagship HMS Duncan and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep joining the ships of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.The two patrols emphasised NATO's maritime presence in the Sea with drills increasing interoperability among the Groups and Allied nations that operate in the Sea.Both Groups,a total of six warships,made a port call at Constanta,Romania from 1-4 February as part of operations supporting national sovereignty through collective defence.
There were courtesy calls with local civilian and Naval authorities;as well as planning for further interoperability exercises with the Romanian Navy after departing Constanta and public tours of the warships.*
The SNMG2 currently consists of HMS Duncan;Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand;and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep.SNMCMG2 includes RN survey ship HMS Enterprise;minesweeper ROS Lt.Lupu Dinescu;and mine-hunter TCG Akcay.Prior to the port call,the two Groups patrolled both the Mediterranean and the Black Seas,conducting passing exercises (PASSEX) and operations.Both Groups are part of the NATO Reaction Force,providing crucial skill sets to keep sea lanes and ports open during a crisis.They stage a wide range of multinational drills with NATO Allies and partners to enhance operability and maintain warfighting skills.*
As part of the PASSEX activity,a PASSEX with the Bulgarian Navy was staged.One of its highlights was a boarding exercise with participants from the Romanian Navy and the Royal Marines.Previous to the Bulgarian PASSEX,there was a PASSEX with the Romanian Navy as well,including an intense air defence drill,or ADEX,in which one or two Romanian Mig 21 aircraft flew over Allied warships off the shore of Constanta.*
At the conclusion of the Maritime Groups' exercises,the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) entered the Black Sea on 17 February,joining the USS Ross (DDG 71).According to USN 6th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Christopher Grady:
We operate at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region.By nature,ships are flexible,mobile forces,and the Navy is uniquely capable of providing credible and capable forces to defend our national interests throughout the world.*
It is the first time since July 2017 that two USN warships have operated simultaneously in the Black Sea.Both guided missile destroyers are forward-deployed to Rota,Spain as part of a group of four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
On 30 January,warships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 cruised through the Bosphorus Straits to enter the Black Sea with Royal Navy destroyer and SNMG2 flagship HMS Duncan and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep joining the ships of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2.The two patrols emphasised NATO's maritime presence in the Sea with drills increasing interoperability among the Groups and Allied nations that operate in the Sea.Both Groups,a total of six warships,made a port call at Constanta,Romania from 1-4 February as part of operations supporting national sovereignty through collective defence.
There were courtesy calls with local civilian and Naval authorities;as well as planning for further interoperability exercises with the Romanian Navy after departing Constanta and public tours of the warships.*
The SNMG2 currently consists of HMS Duncan;Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand;and Turkish frigate TCG Gazintep.SNMCMG2 includes RN survey ship HMS Enterprise;minesweeper ROS Lt.Lupu Dinescu;and mine-hunter TCG Akcay.Prior to the port call,the two Groups patrolled both the Mediterranean and the Black Seas,conducting passing exercises (PASSEX) and operations.Both Groups are part of the NATO Reaction Force,providing crucial skill sets to keep sea lanes and ports open during a crisis.They stage a wide range of multinational drills with NATO Allies and partners to enhance operability and maintain warfighting skills.*
As part of the PASSEX activity,a PASSEX with the Bulgarian Navy was staged.One of its highlights was a boarding exercise with participants from the Romanian Navy and the Royal Marines.Previous to the Bulgarian PASSEX,there was a PASSEX with the Romanian Navy as well,including an intense air defence drill,or ADEX,in which one or two Romanian Mig 21 aircraft flew over Allied warships off the shore of Constanta.*
At the conclusion of the Maritime Groups' exercises,the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) entered the Black Sea on 17 February,joining the USS Ross (DDG 71).According to USN 6th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Christopher Grady:
We operate at the tempo and timing of our choosing in this strategically important region.By nature,ships are flexible,mobile forces,and the Navy is uniquely capable of providing credible and capable forces to defend our national interests throughout the world.*
It is the first time since July 2017 that two USN warships have operated simultaneously in the Black Sea.Both guided missile destroyers are forward-deployed to Rota,Spain as part of a group of four Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Sea Breeze,Steadfast Javelin II Exercises Prove NATO's Commitment
NATO is currently conducting the Sea Breeze 2014 naval exercise in the Northwest region of the Black Sea.It runs from 8-10 September.Three warships from the Standing NATO Maritime Group Two are participating,namely,the frigates HMCS Toronto from Canada;Spain's ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon;and Romania's ROS Regale Ferdinand.SNMG2 is one of four SNMGs.
On Monday,two Russian Su-24 Fencer fighter jets and a surveillance plane buzzed HMCS Toronto.The move was unnecessarily provocative,Canadian Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said.Russia dismissed the complaint,saying their aircraft were strictly in line with international law.*
The guided-missile destroyer USS Ross(DDG-71) hosted the opening ceremony on Monday.The Ross will actively participate in the entire spectrum of surface,air and sub-surface evolutions during this exercise,said Ross commanding officer Commander Tadd Gorman.These events will challenge the crew of Ross in their capabilities and level of knowledge.Anytime you exercise with other countries,and deal with language barriers,you're going to be challenged.That's the point of this exercise,overcoming these challenges and working together to become a team,CDR Gorman pointed out.
The Ross is forward deployed to Rota,Spain.*
Even as Sea Breeze was starting,Steadfast Javelin II was winding up.These seven-day exercises were underway across Latvia,Estonia,Lithuania,Germany and Poland,conducted by nine countries.About 2,000 troops participated,including the US Army's 173d Airborne Brigade and 2nd Cavalry Regiment with their Stryker armoured personnel carriers.They disembarked from C-17 and C-130 aircraft at Lielvarde Air Base,Latvia.
Steadfast Javelin II showed NATO's commitment to Baltic member states in the face of an assertive Russia.It simulated the deployment of NATO troops and equipment to another country during a crisis.*
At the NATO Wales Summit held last week,the alliance established a spearhead force of 4-5,000 troops capable of deploying across the alliance within 48 hours.The force builds upon intelligence,agility and precision-as opposed to weight of military force.It is an agile,precise,intelligence-led rapidly deployable force,NATO said.It reflects the alliance shifting its emphasis from the Afghan War to defending member nations in a direct way.
On Monday,two Russian Su-24 Fencer fighter jets and a surveillance plane buzzed HMCS Toronto.The move was unnecessarily provocative,Canadian Defence Minister Rob Nicholson said.Russia dismissed the complaint,saying their aircraft were strictly in line with international law.*
The guided-missile destroyer USS Ross(DDG-71) hosted the opening ceremony on Monday.The Ross will actively participate in the entire spectrum of surface,air and sub-surface evolutions during this exercise,said Ross commanding officer Commander Tadd Gorman.These events will challenge the crew of Ross in their capabilities and level of knowledge.Anytime you exercise with other countries,and deal with language barriers,you're going to be challenged.That's the point of this exercise,overcoming these challenges and working together to become a team,CDR Gorman pointed out.
The Ross is forward deployed to Rota,Spain.*
Even as Sea Breeze was starting,Steadfast Javelin II was winding up.These seven-day exercises were underway across Latvia,Estonia,Lithuania,Germany and Poland,conducted by nine countries.About 2,000 troops participated,including the US Army's 173d Airborne Brigade and 2nd Cavalry Regiment with their Stryker armoured personnel carriers.They disembarked from C-17 and C-130 aircraft at Lielvarde Air Base,Latvia.
Steadfast Javelin II showed NATO's commitment to Baltic member states in the face of an assertive Russia.It simulated the deployment of NATO troops and equipment to another country during a crisis.*
At the NATO Wales Summit held last week,the alliance established a spearhead force of 4-5,000 troops capable of deploying across the alliance within 48 hours.The force builds upon intelligence,agility and precision-as opposed to weight of military force.It is an agile,precise,intelligence-led rapidly deployable force,NATO said.It reflects the alliance shifting its emphasis from the Afghan War to defending member nations in a direct way.
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