• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Chilean Submarine Departs Mayport After Completing Exercise with US Navy

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS130207-26
2/7/2013

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Sean Allen, 4th Fleet Public Affairs

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- Chilean submarine (CS) Simpson (SS-21) departed Naval Station Mayport to return to homeport in Talcahuano, Chile, Feb. 7, after taking part in the Diesel Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI), and CHILEMAR IV with the U.S. Navy.

DESI is a partnership that allows the United States and other partner navies to work together to train and test underwater warfare capabilities through engagement tactics, weapon system tests and close encounter operations. This particular training evolution helps the American and Peruvian navies train their crews and test capabilities while helping foster bilateral cooperation and further improve joint interoperability.

CHILEMAR is an annual bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Chile, which is designed to demonstrate interoperability between U.S. submarine rescue systems and Chilean submarines. The exercise also promotes greater understanding and cooperation between the U.S. and Chile.

During its three-month deployment, Simpson conducted training with both surface ships and air units.

Shortly after Simpson arrived in Mayport, the submarine participated in independent deployed certification exercises with various units from the USS KEARSARGE Amphibious Readiness Group.

In Jan. the crew took part in CHILEMAR IV, which focused on the notification and localization phases of a bottomed, disabled submarine. Several U.S. Atlantic Fleet air and surface units also participated in the exercise, employing side-scan sonar, an undersea unmanned vehicle, and several P-3 Orion and SH-60 aircraft.

Simpson then participated in an anti-submarine warfare exercise with Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School, and excelled in its role in the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

Rear Adm. Joseph Tofalo, commander of Submarine Group 10 was at the closing ceremony for DESI, held aboard Naval Station Mayport, and talked about the importance of such exercises.

'I was actually in the audience when former U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead rolled out the cooperative strategy for 21st Century Sea Power, and I'll never forget his words where he stated, 'you can't surge trust.' Rather, it takes long term relationships, built upon interactions like CHILEMAR and DESI, to foster the important bond between our great nations,' he said.

Also attending the closing ceremony was Vicealmirante José Romero, commander naval operations of Chile, and talked about the importance of the U.S. Navy and Chilean navy continuing to work together.

'Exercises such as this will only continue to improve the interoperability of our navies, which is important for our nations,' Romero said.

Commander Eduardo Torres, commanding officer of Simpson, thanked his crew and Naval Station Mayport during his speech.

'To the crew of Simpson, thank you for your hard work, I would like to thank Naval Station Mayport for giving us the support we needed when we were in port,' he said.

It will take the submarine a month traveling through the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean to return to its homeport on the southern tip of South America.