• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

U.S. Sailors, Marines Arrive for Training Exercise in West Africa

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031112-05

Release Date: 11/13/2003 5:00:00 AM

From U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

DOUALA, Cameroon (NNS) -- U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard the High Speed Vessel SWIFT (HSV 2) arrived here Nov. 13 to participate with local military units in West African Training Cruise 2004 (WATC 04), a biannual exercise aimed at enhancing security cooperation between U.S. and participating West African nations. SWIFT recently concluded training in South Africa.

Conducted since 1978, WATC consists of a series of bilateral interactions between the United States and individual African nations, including Cameroon, Ghana, the Gambia, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Some of the planned training includes small boat training, riverine operations and amphibious raids. Approximately 100 U.S. Marines and 50 U.S. Sailors are participating in the training. In Douala, Marines attached to Small Craft Company, Headquarters Battalion, 2nd Marine Division from Camp Lejeune, N.C., are embarked to participate in training.

In addition to the benefit of increased interoperability between U.S. and host nation militaries, WATC 04 also provides an ideal opportunity for the United States and host nations to experiment with cutting edge equipment and concepts, such as use of HSV 2 in riverine and small boat operations, out-of-area use of Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB) equipment, and the use of a lightweight water purification system being tested by the U.S. Marine Corps war fighting lab.

HSV 2 is a wave piercing, aluminum-hulled, commercial catamaran vessel with military enhancements, such as a helicopter flight deck with the capability to support night flight operations and to refuel helos at sea, a small boat or unmanned vehicle launch and recovery capability, modifiable berthing compartments, enhanced ramps for military vehicles and an enhanced communications suite.

HSV 2 is commanded by Cmdr. Mark Sakaguchi. The ship's crew is homeported in Little Creek, Va.