Gettysburg Sharpens Skills During FLEETEX With NATO Partners

By Ensign Tommy Changaris, USS Gettysburg Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) (NNS) -- Sailors aboard guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) participated in a multinational fleet training exercise (FLEETEX) Aug. 20-25.

Gettysburg conducted exercises with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and a Canadian task group, strengthening international relationships with allied maritime partners.

The events included submarine familiarization, maritime interdiction operations, as well as live fire weapons exercises.

As part of anti-submarine warfare training, Gettysburg and Canadian ships HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282), HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337), and HMCS Halifax (FFH 330) worked together to establish sustained visual and acoustic contact with a submarine.

The four surface ships located and tracked the submarine using a combination of active and passive sonar.

"I had never worked with Canadian surface units in an anti-submarine warfare scenario before," said Sonar Technician (Surface) 1st Class James Clifford, one of the Sailors on watch during the exercise. "It was a great opportunity to see how our procedures and capabilities compared to theirs so we can work more effectively as a team in the future."

In order to maintain proficiency in visit, board, search and seizure operations, Gettysburg's boarding team conducted a compliant boarding of the dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12).

Lt. Kevin Mullins, navigator aboard Gettysburg and boarding team leader, said the team carried out a thorough search of the vessel and received positive feedback from Carrier Strike Group 8 trainers embarked on Gettysburg.

The boarding provided at sea experience for the boarding team, boat crew, combat information center and bridge watch standers.

"A real-life boarding is an evolution that has to go right the first time, every time" said Mullins. "Getting to board and search a vessel on the high seas in an exercise environment like this is critical to ensure that the team is trained and ready."

During FLEETEX, Gettysburg, the Canadian ships and the Turkish Navy ship TCG Kemalreis (F-247), part of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two, conducted a live fire exercise where they engaged traditional inflatable floating "killer tomato" targets, as well as a Canadian remote controlled target designed to simulate a fast inshore attack craft called a "Hammerhead."

"Gettysburg's crew did great and continued to shine throughout FLEETEX," said Capt. Brad Cooper, Gettysburg's commanding officer. "Our Sailors continued to meet the high standard we've come to expect over the last few years and kept their stride all the way through the finish line as we transition from an ultra-operational period to an extended maintenance availability."

Gettysburg is scheduled to enter the shipyards for an extended maintenance availability in Fall 2014.