USS Porter Departs Faslane for Joint Warrior

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Ryan U. Kledzik, USS Porter Public Affairs

FASLANE, Scotland (NNS) -- Following a port visit to Faslane, Scotland, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) departed Her Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde, en route to the coastal waters off the United Kingdom to participate in Exercise Joint Warrior 15-1, April 12.

Also departing Faslane today were the guided-missile cruisers USS Anzio (CG 68) and USS Vicksburg (CG 69), and the guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75), who are also participants in Joint Warrior along with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE 13).

Joint Warrior, a United Kingdom-led semi-annual multinational cooperative training exercise, is designed to provide NATO and allied forces a multiwarfare environment in which to prepare for global operations. The exercise will include air, sea and ground assets from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"Our port visit to Faslane provided the crew a unique opportunity to build rapport with Sailors from a variety of different nations and experience the beauty that Scotland has to offer," said Command Master Chief Allen Keller, the ship's senior enlisted leader. "The crew enjoyed a well-deserved break and they were fantastic ambassadors for the U.S. Navy."

Joint Warrior is slated to last approximately two weeks. The exercise is intended to improve interoperability between allied and partner navies and prepares participants for a role in a joint maritime environment during deployments.

Upon the conclusion of JW, Porter will join Donald Cook and USS Ross (DDG 71) as the third of four guided-missile destroyers to be forward deployed to Rota, Spain.