Month: April 2024

Source: United States Navy

This is the second time a U.S. Navy submarine has conducted a brief stop in Iceland since the Icelandic Minister of Foreign Affairs informed the United States that U.S. Navy submarines were allowed to make short visits in Iceland to receive supplies and personnel. The first U.S. Navy submarine to visit Iceland was the Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS San Juan in April 2023.

“It is an honor to be back in Iceland to conduct a brief stop for personnel and supplies, and we thank our Icelandic Allies for their continued support as we operate in the region in support of our NATO Allies and partners,” said Capt. Benjamin Selph, commodore, Task Force 69. “Stops like this are visible demonstration of the strength of the U.S.-Icelandic relationship and our commitment to promoting security and stability in the region.”

As founding members of NATO, Iceland and the U.S. share a long history of cooperation as we work towards mutual goals of safety and security in the region. Now in its 75th year, the NATO Alliance is a testament to the power of collective defense and the strength of solid relationships between Allied and partner nations.

In addition to allowing U.S. Navy submarines to conduct brief stops for personnel and supplies, Iceland also provides host country support to U.S. and Allied maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) from Keflavik Air Base.

For more than 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.

Headquartered in Naples, Italy, 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.

Source: United States Navy

The exercise kicked off in Constanța, Romania, April 15, and continues through the 21st. Sea Shield is a Black Sea-focused annual exercise, aimed at strengthening tactical interoperability and collaboration among the naval forces of participating nations. This year’s exercise focuses on the seamless integration of conventional and unconventional warfare techniques, enhancing the proficiency of naval units and staff in executing complex maritime operations.

This year’s participants include Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and United States.

Sea Shield aims to bolster mutual understanding and trust, reinforcing defense cooperation among allies. The exercise serves as a platform to refine NATO maritime command and control (C2) procedures and improve communication channels, ensuring cohesive operational tactics among member nations. During this year’s exercise, Commander, Task Force 67 conducted two sorties flown by Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 45. These missions were crucial in testing and enhancing the communications systems, demonstrating effective coordination between the United States and its NATO partners in real-time operational scenarios.

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa is actively involved in maintaining security throughout the region. NAVEUR-NAVAF and U.S. 6th Fleet routinely conduct exercises with Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Türkiye, and other Black Sea partner nations, training maritime readiness and increasing interoperability capabilities. Commander, Task Force 68 routinely works with Allied and partner nations to construct logistics infrastructure, while training and exercising demining techniques throughout the region.
Commander, Task Force 67’s deploys maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon, to conduct patrols over the Black Sea and surrounding region.

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

Source: United States Navy

Argonaut is a Cyprus-hosted exercise featuring search and rescue operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, utilizing simulated vessels in distress to develop common practices and enhance coordination among international search and rescue teams – strengthening their capabilities for mass rescue operations.

This year’s participants included Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, United Kingdom, and United States.

U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa’s participation was coordinated through Joint Rescue Coordination Center Lanarca. Additionally, Commander, Task Force (CTF) 67 contributed through a sortie by Patrol and Reconnaissance Squadron (VP) 45, which assisted with simulated search and rescue efforts and provided critical over watch during the exercise.

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

Source: United States Navy

Specifically, the EI&E portfolio focuses on renewable, reliable, resilient energy sources, sustainability and construction, maintenance and sustainment of infrastructure, protecting the safety and occupational health of military and civilian personnel; environmental protection in support of mission readiness, planning and restoration ashore and afloat; and conservation of natural and cultural resources.

Earth Day is a worldwide event celebrated annually on April 22. Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson and others as a grassroots effort to raise environmental awareness and involve citizens and communities. The DON theme for Earth Day 2024 is “Communities, Critical Infrastructure, and Climate Action”.

“We are focused each day on the communities where we live, train, and operate in, ensuring resilient climate action supports our critical infrastructure and mission success,” said Meredith Berger, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy, Installations, and Environment. “We are taking this week to celebrate our accomplishments and reinforce the critical work in the portfolio that advances the priorities that serve our Sailors, Marines, and our defense communities.”

Communities represent the ecosystems that Sailors and Marines rely on for mission accomplishment, the commands they are a part of, and the work installations do with the local community to address shared challenges.

Critical infrastructure is about enhancing installation resilience, improving the efficiency of systems and facilities ashore, while ensuring energy, water, and control systems are strengthened against threats and hazards.

Climate action is how the Department of the Navy ensures mission readiness. In May of 2022, the Department of the Navy released Climate Action 2030 in which Secretary Del Toro recognized climate change as one of the most destabilizing forces of our time and charged the Department with building a climate-ready force. To achieve these goals, we are building off our tradition of stewardship, on our bases and in defense communities. We are funding projects to replant forests, regenerate arid rangelands, and restore wetlands and marshlands to sequester carbon and improve the environmental resiliency of our lands.

To implement Climate Action 2030, the Department Chief Sustainability Officer has also issued five memos on key priorities: infrastructure, water resilience, nature-based resilience, sustainable acquisition and procurement, and shore energy. Climate Action 2030 and these memos, as well Earth Day 2024 guidance are found on the Energy, Installations, and the Environment public site: https://www.secnav.navy.mil/climate/pages/resources.aspx

Since the 1990s, the Department of the Navy (DON) and other military services have celebrated Earth Day annually, organizing events that are open to the public and/or military personnel, conducting educational outreach activities, and highlighting Navy/Marine Corps environmental and energy programs.

The DON ensures the values of Earth Day are upheld every day through continued dedication to environmental stewardship. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps take a proactive role in maintaining and improving environmental quality on installations and ranges to ensure that we have a force that is trained and safe in an environment that is protected. This raises quality of life for Sailors, Marines, their families, and the local community. Clean air, water, and land are essential to the safety and health of our military and civilian personnel, families, and our neighboring communities; and are central to the ability of our installations and ranges to continue to meet mission critical functions.

“EI&E Week” will be marked not just by Earth Day and Arbor Day ceremonies and events, but throughout the week by speaking engagements, panels, resilience workshops, and safety seminars across the National Capital Region and country that highlights departmental accomplishments in Communities, Critical Infrastructure, and Climate Action.

“EI&E Week” will conclude with Arbor Day on April 26, the annual holiday that celebrate nature conservancy and the planting of trees.

Source: United States Navy

The UC was established in response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse on March 26. Its priorities are to ensure the safety of the public and first responders, accountability of missing persons, safely restore transportation infrastructure, and commerce, protect the environment and support the ongoing investigation.

“Maritime commerce is essential for our Nation,” said Secretary Del Toro. “Our Department of the Navy (DON) remains committed to support nationally and internationally, all efforts that ensure the uninterrupted flow of commerce. The work we are doing here is imperative to reopening the channel and resuming shipping operations.”

The U.S. Coast Guard is part of the “Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command,” with Navy equities, NAVSEA’s Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (SUPSALV), falling within the coordinated agencies tasked with ensuring the safety of the public and response to the incident.

NAVSEA Commander, Vice Adm. Jim Downey, joined Secretary Del Toro during the visit and tour.

“This collaborative operation showcases the diverse capability and skillset of our U.S. Navy and the importance of readiness and swift action in disaster relief,” said Vice Admiral Jim Downey, commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. “Our diving and salvage team brings a wealth of experience, a unique technical expertise, and world class performance to this joint effort, which has been instrumental in expediting the channel’s recovery and restoring our vital waterways.” 

After he toured the Francis Scott Key Bridge Response site and the incident site, Secretary Del Toro met and thanked the SUPSALV members and divers for their work to ensure the public’s safety and respond to the incident.  

“The tragic incident that resulted in the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge yielded an unprecedented response. I am proud of the dynamic work that NAVSEA and, in particular, our divers are performing,” said Secretary Del Toro. “This effort requires the need to leverage world-class technology and our Navy continues to be well-qualified to manage these capabilities.”

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has charged the U.S. Navy’s SUPSALV with supporting the UC by leading the clearing of the Baltimore Harbor Waterway. SUPSALV is widely recognized for its ability to provide technical, operational and emergent support in marine salvage, towing, pollution control, diving, and diving system safety and certification, diving and salvage equipment procurement and underwater ship husbandry.

“SUPSALV is here to provide oversight of the salvage operation in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers—their technical capabilities are invaluable. SUPSALV brings great salvage expertise that USACE doesn’t have inherently, and we need that to help us open the federal channel,” said Brigadier General John Lloyd, commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers North Atlantic Division. “This interagency agreement and effort has been a tremendous success between the Navy and Supervisor of Salvage to mobilize quickly in times of need.”

Efforts continue on clearing the channel for an opening with limited access by April 30. Del Toro’s visit is intended as a testament to the Navy’s unwavering commitment to the incident and safety of the public, as well as highlights the continued expertise and collaborative efforts between the Department of the Navy and the UC. The U.S. Navy stands ready to support our interagency partners and local authorities.