By U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public
Affairs
ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy's first-in-class joint
high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) left the U.S. 6th Fleet area of
operations, May 2, after more than three months of operating in the European
and African theaters.
Since entering the theater in late January, Spearhead
conducted maritime security operations in the Mediterranean, participated in
multinational maritime exercises Saharan Express and Obangame Express,
conducted a bi-lateral maritime law enforcement operation, and delivered more
than 22.5 tons of humanitarian supplies under the U.S. Navy's Project Handclasp
program.
"I am extremely proud of the work Spearhead has
achieved in theater, primarily for her efforts in supporting Africa Partnership
Station and the pillars that program represents," said Vice Adm. Phil
Davidson, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, who recently visited the ship during a
port visit in Gabon. "I commend the Sailors and civilians who performed
superbly over the course of their work here in U.S. 6th Fleet. They
accomplished a wide range of mission sets and had a positive impact on maritime
security."
In addition to the Express series exercises, Spearhead
conducted Africa Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) with Ghana,
patrolling Ghanaian waters with an embarked boarding team consisting of
Ghanaian navy and marine police personnel, a Ghana fisheries agent, and members
of a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment. The combined boarding team
boarded three vessels fishing illegally, and the fisheries agent recorded six
infractions under Ghana fisheries regulations.
"Missions like AMLEP showed just how important those
types of activities are to partnerships and maritime security," said Capt.
Marc Lederer, Africa Partnership Station mission commander embarked on
Spearhead. "The civilian mariners and military detachment exemplified an
outstanding synergy to execute this deployment. We acted as one team and
integrated our African partners into that unity for each engagement."
Spearhead also embarked a U.S. Marine Corps squad for a
crisis response exercise off the coast of Liberia. The vessel hosted Liberian
coast guardsmen for a shipboard familiarization visit while the Marine Corps
personnel launched ashore.
Spearhead concluded her time in Africa with a port visit in
Libreville, Gabon, where the civilian and military crew conducted a community
service project to assist the country's national art school. The ship also
hosted a reception for Gabonese dignitaries.
Civil service mariners aboard Spearhead were glad to play a
part achieving the multi-faceted missions while Spearhead was deployed to U.S.
6th Fleet.
"In my 25 years with MSC, this is the best group I've
ever sailed with, CIVMAR and military," said Capt. Doug Casavant, civil
service master aboard Spearhead. "We have worked hard together, and we're
leaving a good legacy."
After it leaves U.S. 6th Fleet, Spearhead will briefly
return to its layberth at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story,
Va., for a maintenance period before continuing its maiden deployment as
scheduled to U.S. 4th Fleet.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a
full range of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation
missions in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other partners in
order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.
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