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Pearl Harbor Participates in Bright Star Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050921-11
Release Date: 9/21/2005 8:00:00 PM

From Lt. j.g. Kristine Garland, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet

MUBARAK MILITARY CITY, Egypt (NNS) -- USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) played a major role in the Bright Star 05/06 exercise in the Mediterranean Sea in September.

Bright Star is a joint multinational exercise designed to enhance cooperation between the U.S., Egypt and regional coalition forces. More than 2,500 Navy and Marine Corps personnel are participating, along with forces from 12 other nations.

Pearl Harbor is based in San Diego and, being a West Coast ship, would normally not deploy to the Mediterranean. It was, however, an unusual opportunity to allow the ship and crew the experience of being in those waters while working with coalition navies.

During an amphibious demonstration in a multinational mock-storming of an Egyptian beach, Pearl Harbor sent two air cushion landing craft (LCAC), fully loaded with Marines from the 13 Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), based in Pearl Harbor.

While here, Pearl Harbor also engaged in its own maritime security operations (MSO) training, running its three visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) teams through a variety of exercises.

“There is very little that we do now that is not in a coalition environment,” said Pearl Harbor Commanding Officer Cmdr. Jonathan Harnden. “MSO isn’t a new mission, but it has changed a little with who the threat is.”

Harnden noted that Bright Star was a valuable opportunity to conduct VBSS and MSO training while underway in a coalition environment. He also explained that the security of sea transportation lanes, key nodes and oil platforms in addition to preventing piracy, terrorist threats and illegal trafficking were the goals of other coastal nations in addition to the United States.

“In the current environment, MSO is a mission for all of us. And in order for us to do our mission, we have to be able to work with other countries, understand each other's procedures and take part in a global mission to protect and secure the seas,” he said.