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Underwood Conducts Passing Exercise with Chilean Navy

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS120618-11
6/18/2012

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stuart Phillips, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs

USS UNDERWOOD, At Sea (NNS) -- Guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) participated in a passing exercise (PASSEX) with ships from the Chilean navy while en route to Iquique, Chile, June 16.

Underwood operated with three Chilean ships: the Piloto Pardo-class patrol ship Comandante Toro (PZM 82) and the Riquelme-class fast attack craft Uribe (LM 39) and Serrano (LM 38) during the daylong exercise.

The exercise included a variety of events designed to increase interoperability and enhance friendly relations and mutual cooperation between the navies.

"Today we conducted a partnership mission with the Chilean navy," said Lt. j.g. Wilson Miles, III, the auxiliaries officer aboard Underwood, and the junior officer of the deck during the operations. "We did a helo (helicopter) cross-deck, where we took their helo on board and did some operations with them. After that we did some maneuvering exercises with them and an aerial photo exercise to display our joint operations and the partnership we have with the Chilean navy."

Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class (SW) Joshua Singleton, the assistant leading petty officer for the deck division aboard Underwood, was the landing signalman enlisted (LSE) during the flight operations with a Chilean Dauphin AS-365 that landed on Underwood's flight deck for a passenger transfer. As the LSE, Singleton's responsibilities include ensuring the flight deck is free of all debris prior to flight operations, making sure all the Sailors on the flight deck are wearing the proper personnel protective gear and to ensure the helicopter is landed safely and is chocked and chained down to the deck.

"During today's flight operations, one of the unique challenges we had was adapting to a different type of helo landing on our flight deck," said Singleton. "The O-rings that we attach the tie-downs to are located in different places on the Chilean helo, so you have to be vigilant and make sure you secure the helo safely to the deck."

Operating with other navies who sometimes do things differently can be both a challenge and a rewarding opportunity.

"At times it's stressful, especially with the communication challenges we have," said Miles. "The Chilean navy does some things differently than we do, but it's a learning process. That's why we're down here; that's why we're doing what we're doing, to build that communication between our navies."

Underwood is deployed to Central and South America and the Caribbean in support of Southern Seas 2012.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet supports USSOUTHCOM joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.