USS Monterey Visits Naples During Inaugural Missile Defense Deployment

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Edward Vasquez, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/ Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet Public, Affairs

NAPLES, Italy (NNS) -- The Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) arrived in Naples, Italy, April 10, during a regularly scheduled port visit.

During the port visit, Vice Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr., Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet is scheduled to come aboard to speak with the crew.

"This is an important port visit for us because we will meet with Vice Adm. Harris and members of his staff," said Capt. James W. Kilby, Monterey commanding officer. "It is significant because many of the exercises and operations we will be conducting will help define the mission for following European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) ships."

Sailors from Monterey will also have the opportunity to visit Rome, tour the Colosseum, the Circus Maximums, and the Baths of Caracalla during guided tours.

"This is a good time to pull in, our Sailors will get to see Rome and it is just before Easter so Rome should be exciting," said Master Chief Keith Mahaffey, Monterey command master chief. "A lot of our Sailors have never visited Naples before, and I think that this will be one of our best liberty ports for our deployment."

The Monterey is the first U.S. Ship to participate in the European Phased Adaptive Approach for missile defense architecture with NATO members' missile defense capabilities, as well as with the emerging NATO command and control network.

Throughout her deployment, the Monterey will be touring NATO member states and demonstrating the ship's Ballistic Missile Defense capability.

Monterey, homeported out of Norfolk, Va., is on a scheduled six-month deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of responsibility.