• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Joint Warrior 11-1 Begins Off the Coast of Northern Scotland

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS110409-06
4/9/2011

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class W. B. Swoboda

USS FORREST SHERMAN (DDG 98) At Sea (NNS) -- Ships led by Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 24 arrived off the coast of northern Scotland, April 8 to participate in the multinational exercise Joint Warrior 2011-1.

Guided missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), guided missile frigate USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) and fleet replenishment oilier USNS Big Horn (T-AO 198) are participating in the NATO exercise, which is run by the Royal Navy's Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff (JTEPS). The U.S. ships are working alongside navies from the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Germany.

"Joint Warrior is always a challenging exercise. It prepares not only the U. S. Navy, but, our partnering nations for real world operations," said Capt. Aaron Jacobs, commander, COMDESRON 24. "Participation in Joint Warrior sends a clear message that the United States is committed to working with its allies."

Joint Warrior is a United Kingdom-led, multinational, and multi-warfare exercise designed to improve interoperability between allied navies and prepares participating crews to conduct combined operations during deployment.

The entire spectrum of activities, from the time the first mooring line is taken in until the time all nations' ships have returned home, is a chance to train and learn.

This exercise is also a unique opportunity for U.S. and Canadian ships to work together with allied partners while providing each other with key services and logistical support.

"We joined up with the Canadian Navy's Commander Strike Group (CSG) and Commodore L. M. Hickey for the transit across the Atlantic giving us a valuable opportunity to work together, develop an initial battle rhythm and foundation with the Canadian staff, and incorporate some excellent training prior to the start of Joint Warrior," said Jacobs.

The exercise promotes three focus areas of Commander, U.S. Second Fleet: conducting safe and effective training in support of fleet operations to achieve mission, providing ready maritime forces for global assignment, and teaming with allies and partners in execution of the maritime strategy.

"The American ships that we met in company during the trans-Atlantic crossing have come here fully prepared, as evidenced by the most seamless execution of connectivity between two naval forces that I've witnessed in years," said Hickey. "This speaks volumes to the value of integrating Canadian warships into U.S. battle groups for certain deployments, as has been the practice of the past decade."

"I am very fortunate to have COMDESRON 24 on my side for the exercise; as an experienced commander and past participant in the Joint Warrior series, they have provided my staff and me with wise counsel that's proven its worth in spades already," Hickey said.

Exercise scenarios include small boat attacks, boarding operations, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and ship maneuverability tasks. More than 30 individual units, including aviation, surface, and subsurface, are participating and playing a distinct role.

"Joint Warrior provides us with a unique opportunity to work alongside other NATO units in a highly complex warfare environment that we don't get anywhere else" said Cmdr. Luis E. Sanchez Jr., Forrest Sherman's commanding officer. "Forrest Sherman's crew is very excited to take part in this exercise and welcomes challenges such as live fire exercises, high-speed maneuvering and difficult underway replenishments, all of which are very intense."

Joint Warrior historically serves as a certifying event for ships that will deploy with coalition forces in the future.

Forrest Sherman, Samuel B. Roberts, and Big Horn, are working alongside the Royal Navy's HMS Edinburgh (D 97) and HMS St. Albans (F 83); the Canadian Forces's ships HMCS St. Johns (FFH 340) and Athabaskan (DDH 282); and Germany's FGS Rheimland-Pfalz (F 209) to form Task Group 606.01, one of two major groups in the overall exercise.