Source: United States Navy
This marks the commencement of the at-sea phase for Phoenix Express 24. PE24 is a multinational maritime exercise held in the Mediterranean Sea. This phase evaluates the capacity of participating vessels and maritime operation centers (MOC) to carry out maritime security operations. Such operations encompass ship boarding, airborne maritime patrol operations, and search and rescue exercises.
“The second week of Phoenix Express is our opportunity to put into practice everything that was learned during the first week of the exercise,” said Capt. Harish Patel, U.S. exercise director for Phoenix Express. “This phase is critical to this exercise as it provides an opportunity for U.S. and participating nations’ ships to enhance their ship to shore communications across multinational MOCs”
Allied and partner participating ships include Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4), Moroccan Frigate Sigma Class Sultan Moulay Ismail (614), Italian Navy Cassiopea-class patrol vessel OPV Spica (P403), Italian Coast Guard Fiorillo (CP 904), Libya Landing Tank Ship Ibn Ouf (132), Algerian Multipurpose Corvette El Faith (921), Tunisian Opv Jugartha (P610), Tunisian Opv PLM La Galite (501), Turkish Barbaros Class Frigate TCG Salihreis (F 246) and other participating nation.
“The at sea portion of this exercise is the time to further enhance interoperability and improve ship to shore and ship to ship communications across participating nations,” said Commodore Nejib Ben Saada, Tunisian exercise director for Phoenix Express. “The coordination across the 12 participating nations during this phase is no easy task and I look forward to strengthening our lines of communication during this phase.”
The at-sea events not only test the participating ships and crews while underway, but also provide the unique opportunity for multinational MOCs to conduct communication drills and share information to better enhance multinational cooperation. These centers are key elements in managing and relaying a common operational picture to tactical units at sea.
Phoenix Express provides North African, European, and U.S. maritime forces the opportunity to work together, share information, and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures in order to promote maritime safety and security in the Mediterranean Sea. Phoenix Express is an opportunity to enhance our ability to work together, deter sea-based illicit activity, and protect NATO’s and Europe’s southern flank against malign activity.
Participating nations in Phoenix Express include Algeria, Belgium, Georgia, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye, Senegal, and the United States.
Phoenix Express is one of three regional maritime exercises led by U.S. Naval Forces Africa as part of a comprehensive strategy to provide collaborative opportunities to African forces and international partners to address maritime security concerns.
Commander, 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 to advance U.S. national interests, security and stability in Europe and Africa.