USS Oscar Austin Takes Part in UK’s Atlantic Ocean

July 14, 2014

The guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) participated in a U.K.-led maritime exercise in the Atlantic Ocean, July 10.

The exercise consisted of combat operations in all areas of warfare including anti-submarine warfare, anti-aircraft warfare, and surface warfare.

Naval units from the U.S., Germany and the United Kingdom included Royal Navy frigates HMS Richmond (F239), HMS Lancaster (F229), and HMS St Albans (F83); Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon (D35); and the German Navy’s Braunschweig-class corvette FGS Ludwigshafen am Rhein (F264).

“We dealt with a lot of scenarios,” said Operations Specialist 2nd Class Gwendolyn Wadley, assigned to Oscar Austin, who participated in the exercise in the ship’s combat information center. “Overall it was very busy and fast-paced, but it went pretty well.”

The exercise also tested the various communications and defensives systems between the ships to help improve future training, tactical expertise and interoperability.

Following the exercise, Oscar Austin conducted a replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker RFA Gold Rover (A271), further advancing cooperation between the two navies.

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Press Release, July 14, 2014; Image: US Navy