U.S. Navy Conducts Anti-submarine Exercise Above Arctic Circle

The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers USS Porter, left, and USS Donald Cook, right, replenish from the fast combat support ship USNS Supply.

The U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet conducted a bilateral naval anti-submarine warfare exercise with the U.K. above the Arctic Circle on May 1, 2020.

For the exercise, Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Porter (DDG 78), and fast combat support ship USNS Supply (T-AOE 6), were joined by the Royal Navy's HMS Kent (F 78). Additionally, a U.S. submarine, as well as a P8-A Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 supported the training.

The exercise involved 1,200 Sailors from the U.S. Navy and Royal Navy.

The two U.S. destroyers, based in Rota, Spain, support NATO's integrated air missile defense architecture. These ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle. The exercise follows the combined training that the nations received last month while participating in the U.K's Submarine Command Course.

"One of the best attributes of our surface force is that we can aggregate at will, transitioning seamlessly from independent ships to coordinated operations," said Capt. Joseph A. Gagliano, Commander, Task Force 65, commander, Destroyer Squadron 60. "Our interoperability with our allies is so good that we can deploy multinational naval forces with minimal notice. That's the real power of NATO."

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners.

In 2018, elements of the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and the USS Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group operated above the Arctic Circle in support of NATO exercise Trident Juncture. In 2019, the forward deployed destroyer USS Donald Cook and a SAG from U.S 2nd Fleet led by USS Normandy (CG 60) and USS Farragut (DDG 99) also operated separately above the Arctic Circle.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook conducts a replenishment at sea with the fast combat support ship USNS Supply.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook approaches the fast combat support ship USNS Supply and USS Porter.

The fast combat support ship USNS Supply is approached by the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter and the Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Kent for a replenishment-at-sea.