USS Mahan Participating in Multinational Maritime Exercise
Story Number: NNS050623-04
Release Date: 6/23/2005 11:09:00 AM
From Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe/Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs
NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- More than 300 U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) are currently participating in FRUKUS ’05, a multilateral fleet training and command post exercise with France, Russia, and the United Kingdom in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
The annual exercise, hosted on a rotational basis by participating counties, kicked off June 20 and concludes June 25. FRUKUS fosters an environment of cooperation suitable to meet future operational requirements and contingencies. It additionally provides focus on the ability of forces to support NATO peace-keeping, maritime interdiction, and proliferation security initiatives.
“NAVEUR/6th Fleet (Naval Forces Europe/U.S. 6th Fleet) participation in FRUKUS '05 is a great opportunity to promote theater security cooperation through pursuit of shared goals and military readiness,” said Rear Adm. Robert Clark, Theater Security Cooperation commander for Commander, NAVEUR/U.S. 6th Fleet. “Regional security lies in mutual cooperation, communication and interoperability. FRUKUS provides an ideal forum in which to continue our mutual commitments to regional stability.”
Ships participating in FRUKUS ‘05 with Mahan include the French Navy destroyer De Grasse, the Russian Federation Navy destroyer Adm. Levchenko, and the Royal Navy frigate Montrose. Nearly 1,100 total personnel from the four countries are taking part in the exercise, which features multi-warfare scenarios, multinational staff integration, and a crisis management tactical event.
France, lead nation for FRUKUS ’05, is also hosting a senior leadership forum for flag officers from participating nations at its naval base in Brest. Discussions include direction for future FRUKUS exercises, new organizational structure of U.S. Naval forces in Europe, and the application of international laws at sea in the fight against new threats.
“Operating in the NAVEUR/6th Fleet area of operation and conducting these types of coalition engagements provides U.S. Sailors with a personal look at how other regional navies operate," said Capt. Robert W. Winsor, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 28 and delegated as commander of the FRUKUS Task Unit aboard the FRUKUS flagship, FS De Grasse. "Their skills, dedication and professionalism stand as reflections of their commitment to peace, prosperity and defense of their nations’ freedom."
