• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Ships Deploy For Annual Baltic Operations

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050520-10
Release Date: 5/20/2005 11:49:00 AM

From Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- More than 800 Sailors aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68) and the guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67), both homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, and amphibious troop transport USS Tortuga (LSD 46), homeported at Little Creek Amphibious Base, deployed May 20 in support of the 33rd annual maritime exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2005.

This year’s international exercise, co-hosted by Latvia and the United States, includes 11 participating nations in the spirit of “Partnership for Peace.” BALTOPS will include more than 4,100 personnel, 40 ships, two submarines and more than 28 aircraft from allied and Partnership for Peace (PFP) nations to include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"BALTOPS has been happening for the last 33 years and is a good opportunity for us to work with partners who may be partners in future operations in this global war on terror anywhere around the world," said Capt. Jim Carr, commanding officer of Anzio.

BALTOPS is intended to improve interoperability with allies and PFP countries by conducting a peace support operation at sea, including a combined amphibious landing and exercises in gunnery, replenishment-at-sea, undersea warfare, radar tracking, mine countermeasures, seamanship, maritime interdiction operations and scenarios dealing with potential real-world crises.

"Peaceful times are the ideal times for us (U.S. Navy) to develop the tactics, techniques and procedures that we would share in contenginecy or emergency operation any time or any place around the globe with those nations that will join us in a colilition in the global war on terror," Carr explained. "So now is the time to develop those procedures and communication we will need to work together to develop confidence, trust and understanding with nations that are good friends of ours (U.S.)."

Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr., based in Norfolk, will conduct the exercise from his flagship Anzio underway in the Baltic. The maritime exercise begins June 3 in Latvia and ends June 18 with a combined visit to Germany.