Month: August 2023

Source: United States Navy

Millinocket was operating near Darwin, Australia, in support of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 (TS 23).

“Millinocket responded to a distress signal from a small leisure craft,” said civilian mariner Capt. Erwin F. Lao, USNS Millinocket’s master. “We were in transit when we received the distress message about four miles away from our position while underway. The location of the distress boat was about 35 miles off the coast, northeast from Port of Darwin.”

The signal was initially received by the Australian harbor patrol and Millinocket responded since it was only four nautical miles from the signal.

The team on the Millinocket maneuvered the vessel toward the distressed craft prior to launching its fast rescue boat.

Millinocket’s fast rescue boat, manned by MSC civilian mariners Boatswain Mate Casimer Nowakowski, 3rd Assistant Engineer Noah McNair and Able-Bodied Seaman Frank Watkins, rendered assistance to the small craft in distress.

The small boat, with its five occupants, was disabled for a few hours at sea.

Millinocket provided the small vessel with fuel and remained in its vicinity until the Australian authorities arrived.

The Millinocket is a 338-foot-long aluminum catamaran designed for rapid inter-theater troop transport and sea basing. The ship can transport about 600 tons of military troops, supplies and equipment for 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots on jet propulsion.

TS 23 is the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and enhancing our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns.

MSC Far East ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore. U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Source: United States Navy

LSE 2023 is a scenario-driven, globally integrated exercise providing high-end training at sea and ashore against a challenging, simulated adversary force. The exercise is taking place in the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean from August 9-18, 2023.

“LSE 2023 is the ultimate test and demonstration of the U.S. Navy’s global operational capability,” said Adm. Stuart B. Munsch, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa. “It showcases our capacity to rapidly employ combat forces in any theater, bringing to bear our Navy’s full maritime mission capabilities to defend the U.S. homeland, our allies and our partners around the world.”

The goal of Mount Whitney’s participation in LSE 2023 is to practice and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of Distributed Maritime Operations, Expeditionary Advanced-Base Operations, and Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment (LOCE). These are high-end warfare techniques that demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s ability to meet global operational commitments, while continuing to operate, sail, and meet mission capabilities in the dynamic environments of the modern world.

“The foundation of our service and commitment to a ready and able force rests on the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to effectively command and control our forces at sea and in the littorals,” said Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, commander U.S. Sixth Fleet. “LSE 2023 is a test of our tactics and strategies, as we continue to integrate modern warfare concepts on a global scale – a core competency we have been working hard at. Over the past year, we have demonstrated our ability to conduct distributed maritime operations with our Allies and Partners in Neptune Strike, Formidable Shield and Baltic Operations 2023. But these last two weeks have tested our ability to operate in a worldwide combat environment, ultimately evolving our capability to bring the integrated fighting force of the Navy and Marine Corps to the forefront of tomorrow’s combat.”

LSE 2023 is primarily supported by Sailors, Marines, Government civilian and contract employees assigned to command and training staffs throughout multiple theaters, but also includes naval assets, ranging from aircraft carriers to submarines, and an array of simulated constructive units. Participating units will span 22 time zones to include six naval and Marine Corps component commands, seven U.S. numbered fleets and two Marine Expeditionary Forces.

LSE 2023 continues the situational and training objectives of LSE 2021, enhancing fleet readiness while demonstrating how U.S. Military’s proficiencies have exponentially increased over the last two years. LSE 2021 was the first naval and amphibious large-scale exercise conducted since NATO’s Ocean Venture exercise in 1981 during the Cold War.

Mount Whitney is the U.S. Sixth Fleet flagship and operates with a combined crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.

For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.

Source: United States Navy

The patrol, which began July 8, saw Blue Ridge make port visits to Singapore; Jakarta, Indonesia; Muara, Brunei; and Puerto Princesa, Philippines, enabling dialogue and relationship building among allies and partners.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work and flexibility that the crew showed during this patrol,” said Blue Ridge Commanding Officer, Capt. Dale M. Gregory. “Their professionalism and teamwork led to a successful patrol and allowed us engage with partners across the Indo-Pacific. It is in creating these people-to-people ties with our partners that we are able further our shared interests in preserving peace and prosperity and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

At the beginning of patrol, Blue Ridge visited Jakarta, Indonesia July 27 ‑ 29; the ship’s first visit to the country since 2019. Thomas conducted talks with Chief of the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) Vice Adm. Aan Kurnia; U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia, Ambassador Sung Y. Kim; Chief of Staff the Republic of Indonesia Fleet Command, Rear Adm. Didong Rio Duta; and other key-leaders. Additionally, members of the Seventh Fleet staff conducted staff-talks with their Indonesian Navy counterparts, aimed at improving interoperability and addressing shared maritime security challenges.

The visit to Jakarta included a by the U.S. 7th Fleet Band for local members of the Indonesian military at the @America cultural center. The band also spent time with a local school band, sharing their expertise and knowledge, later ending with a joint concert for friends and family members. Additionally, Blue Ridge and U.S. 7th Fleet staff Sailors took part in community outreach activities such as a beach clean-up, a sports day with the Indonesian Navy, and volunteering at local community programs for children.

Second, Blue Ridge conducted a post visit in Muara, Brunei Darussalam Aug. 3 – 5, the first visit to the country since 2002. There, Thomas conducted talks with U.S. Ambassador to Brunei, Her Excellency Caryn McClelland; the Minister of Defence II, The Honorable Pehin Datu Lailaraja; Major General (Retired) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof; the Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Muhammad Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan; and other key-leaders from Brunei.

While in Brunei, Muslim Sailors had the opportunity to visit a local mosque for Friday prayers. Additionally, Blue Ridge and U.S. 7th Fleet Sailors took part in a sports day with members of the Royal Brunei Navy, strengthening the bond between service members.

Finally, Blue Ridge conducted a port visit in Puerto Princesa, Philippines, Aug. 7 – 10, the ship’s first visit there since 2019. In Puerto Princesa, Thomas and U.S. 7th Fleet leadership met with Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, Commander, Western Command (WESCOM) and WESCOM leaders, where they discussed enhancing interoperability between the two militaries and finding ways to increase cooperation in the maritime domain.  Additionally, the U.S. 7th Fleet Deputy Commander Captain Amy Bauernschmidt met with Captain Dennis Labay, the commander of Philippine Coast Guard District Palawan. Thomas and U.S. 7th Fleet staff also met with Puerto Princesa leadership including Atty. Jethro M. Palayon and Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

During the port call, the U.S. 7th Fleet Band performed in front of a live audience at SM City Mall with counterparts from the Philippine Air Force Western Command Band. Additionally, Blue Ridge hosted a tour of the ship to members of the Philippine Air Force Western Command.

Between port visits, Blue Ridge sailed 8,840 nautical miles through the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, conducted three anchorages, 18 sea-and-anchor details, and four straight transits. 9,100 rounds of ammunition were fired in multiple live-fire exercises, and the “Golden Falcons” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12 logged 21 hours of flight time in nine helicopter operations.

“I am extremely proud of the hard work and flexibility that the crew showed during this patrol,” said Blue Ridge Commanding Officer, Capt. Dale M. Gregory. “Their professionalism and teamwork led to a successful patrol and allowed us engage with partners across the Indo-Pacific. It is in creating these people-to-people ties with our partners that we are able further our shared interests in preserving peace and prosperity and a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Blue Ridge is the oldest operational ship in the Navy, and as U.S. 7th Fleet command ship, is responsible for patrolling and fostering relationships within the Indo- Pacific Region.

For more news from USS Blue Ridge, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/lcc19/.