The U.S Navy concluded the active portion of the regularly-scheduled multinational exercise, Noble Dina, along with Greece and Israel in the Mediterranean Sea, April 10.
Noble Dina is a combined exercise designed to increase interoperability by developing individual and collective maritime proficiencies of participating nations, as well as promoting friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.
U.S. 6th Fleet exercise participants included the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) and USS Ramage (DDG 61), Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Lenthall (T-AO-189) and P-3 aircraft from Patrol Squadron 9, homeported at Marine Corps Base Hawaii and currently forward deployed to U.S. 6th Fleet.
“Noble Dina was a great opportunity for us to work with two extremely important allies in the Eastern Mediterranean,” said Cmdr. Scott Jones, commanding officer of Donald Cook. “Not only did this exercise allow us to enhance the interoperability between our navies, but it also reaffirmed our ties as maritime Nations and demonstrates our resolve and commitment to stability in the region.”
Participants conducted surface, air defense, anti-submarine, and mine-swept channel exercises, as well as astern refueling and underway replenishment.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts a full range of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation missions in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa.
[mappress] Press Release, April 10, 2014; Image: US Navy