Blue Ridge Performs CUES Training with Japanese Vessel Kunasaki

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeff Troutman, USS Blue Ridge Public Affairs

SOUTH CHINA SEA (NNS) -- U.S. 7th Fleet flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) practiced Codes for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) with Japanese vessel JDS Kunasaki (LST-4003), June 2.

CUES, a set of procedures recently endorsed by naval leaders at the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) this past April, is a guideline for unplanned maritime encounters while at sea, providing standards for communication, safety procedures and maneuvering instructions for naval ships and aircraft.

USS Blue Ridge and JDS Kunasaki rendezvoused at approximately 2200 and practiced signaling protocol, utilizing CUES as a means of maritime communication between one another.

"CUES was primarily developed to reduce regional tensions at sea, giving ships a vital means of communication, for reasons of both safety and security," said Blue Ridge Commanding Officer Capt. Richard McCormack. "This training opportunity with our Japanese allies allowed us to familiarize our watch teams with the recently implemented CUES procedures and provided everyone involved with a unique hands-on training evolution."

Blue Ridge and Kunasaki acted out communication scenarios, giving each other a chance to see how CUES would affect the condition of a real-time situation.

"Solid communication with other vessels in your immediate area is standard operating procedure on the bridge and knowing what to do if you unexpectedly encounter another vessel is critical to the safety and security of our ship," said Lt. Kevin Richardson, Blue Ridge officer of the deck during the evolution. "By utilizing signals, flags, or radios in the sea lanes, we can exhibit quick and effective means of communication with other vessels we may encounter unexpectedly."

Blue Ridge is currently wrapping up a patrol of the Indo-Pacific region, and took the opportunity to train with JDS Kunasaki, which is currently traveling to Pacific Partnership 2014, a yearly training mission improving the relationships between nations and organizations committed to a common goal: the stability and security of the Pacific region.

Blue Ridge has been forward deployed to Yokosuka, Japan for 34 years. As the flag ship for Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, Vice Adm. Robert L. Thomas, Blue Ridge is vital in maintaining partnerships in the 7th Fleet area of operations.