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UNITAS Gold Participants Practice MIO, Replenishment at Sea

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090501-37
Release Date: 5/1/2009 4:24:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Alan Gragg and U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Seth Johnson

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (NNS) -- Maritime forces participating in UNITAS Gold practiced maritime interdiction operations (MIO) and replenishment-at-sea (RAS) techniques April 26.

UNITAS Gold is in the 50th performance of the annual, multinational partnership-building exercise, which provides the opportunity to conduct and assimilate joint and combined land, maritime, coastal and air-operations in a realistic training environment.

As the primary replenishment asset during the RAS exercise, German Navy Combat Support Ship Frankfurt Am Main (A-1412) supported RAS drills conducted by the Mexican Frigate ARM Mina (F-214) and multipurpose ship ARM Oaxaca (PO-161), the amphibious transport docking ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD-19) and the guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG-75)

Following the RAS, a boarding team consisting of Mexican marine commandos began a maritime interception operation (MIO) exercise by flying over the Frankfurt am Main in a Mexican HH-65 helicopter and notifying the ship of their intentions to come aboard and search for prohibited items.

"We're making this a challenge for the teams boarding the vessel," said Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Rolofs, executive officer of Frankfurt am Main by changing crew member's names and identification cards, so when the boarding team came aboard they would have a difficult time conducting the search. This would help simulate possible obstacles the boarding team may face while conducting interdiction operations in a real-world situation..

Three marine commandos hovered over the flight deck of Frankfurt am Main, and fast-roped down to begin the search. After securing the vessel, members of a Mexican Navy boarding team came alongside the Frankfurt am Main, and climbed aboard the Jacob's ladder to search for hidden contraband.

After the boarding team sorted through the crewmember identification confusion, they searched the cargo compartments for contraband. After searching several compartments, the boarding team found the simulated illegal items and the interdiction was a success. The entire operation took less than two hours to complete.

Naval forces and observers from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and the United States are participating in this year's exercise from April 20 through May 7 off the coast of Jacksonville, Fla.

For more news from Commander U.S. 4th Fleet/ U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusns.