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Mason Participates in Multiship Live-Fire Exercises

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS160411-20
Release Date: 4/11/2016 2:28:00 PM

By Seaman Janweb B. Lagazo, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS Mason, assigned to Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, participated in a multiship warning shot/disabling fire exercise during a composite training unit exercise in the Atlantic Ocean, April 4.

The training scenario allowed Mason to hone its ability to engage a non-compliant vessel with a variety of weapons in order to increase its effectiveness during maritime interdiction operations.

"The warning and disabling exercise simulates a scenario where Mason is faced with a potential MIO (maritime interdiction operation) vessel that refuses to slow and allow a boarding," said Cmdr. Christopher J. Gilbertson, Mason's commanding officer.

Gilbertson explained, if the threat is validated and the fleet commander authorizes it, the ship will use warning shots or if deemed necessary disabling fire to force a vessel to accept Mason's boarding team alongside.

"The purpose of WD-EX is to increase our overall weapons familiarity and increase our proficiency to react during these situations," said Ensign Kenneth Williams-Spittner, anti-terrorism tactical watch officer during the exercise.

The target was an unmanned vessel towed with a 5,000 foot cable by a training support vehicle, Hugo. Hugo, a government-owned and civilian-crewed ship, is able to perform a variety of military training functions to include electronic warfare services, operational security monitoring, cryptologic training, threat simulation, maritime interdiction operations training support and mine laying and retrieval operations.

"This was my first time granting release authority," said Williams-Spittner. "We definitely performed well and maintained a safe environment for the evolution."

Mason engaged the unmanned vessel with 10 blind, loaded and plugged rounds fired from the MK 45 5-inch gun, 100 rounds from a M2HB .50-caliber machine gun, 100 rounds from an M240B machine gun, 100 rounds from a 25mm M242 Bushmaster chain gun, and 200 rounds from close-in-weapons system.

"It was a great demonstration of American firepower and superior gunnery skills," said Lt. j.g. Alex Bracco, officer of the deck during the exercise.

All rounds were deployed to the stern of the towed target. Half of the rounds served as warning shots while the remaining rounds were aimed to hit the target.

Bracco praised his bridge team for their flexibility and effort.

Ensign Derek Fox, the conning officer during the evolution, explained their success was due to a thorough pre-watch tour and a detailed brief.

"I knew the criteria for green range and gave the orders to maneuver accordingly," Fox said.

Mason, along with guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey and guided-missile destroyers USS Stout and USS Roosevelt participated in WD-EX.

"The exercise is intended to hone Mason's skills and practice key elements of counter-piracy operations. You never know what kind of actions you will need to take when deployed, and we train for the worst so we are prepared for almost every eventuality," said Gilbertson.

Along with Mason, Ike CSG includes the Carrier Strike Group 10 staff, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Monterey (CG 61), and Destroyer Squadron 26 with its associated ships: USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).