The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG 60) entered the 7th Fleet area of operations (AOR) Aug. 9, after transiting from Pearl Harbor.
The ship will conduct operations with United States Coast Guard (USCG) Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission in support of the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) in the region.
The purpose of OMSI is to enhance maritime domain awareness while increasing law enforcement presence, capacity and capability at sea. To support these goals, the ship’s crew and USCG team will perform compliant boarding operations in the Oceania region of the Pacific Ocean.
“These exercises will increase our ability to conduct joint operations while we carry out our mission,” said Lt. Kevin Novick, officer in charge of USCG Tactical Law Enforcement Pacific Team embarked aboard Rodney M. Davis. “They will improve our ability to carry out a mission that supports the top foreign affairs priorities of the U.S. and its allies in the Western and Central Pacific regions.”
While in the 7th Fleet AOR, Rodney M. Davis will also conduct theater security cooperation with allies and partners in the region.
“Rodney M. Davis will decommission in 2015, so this is our sunset deployment,” said Cmdr. Todd Whalen, the ship’s commanding officer. “Performing joint operations with our sister sea service and strengthening ties with our regional allies is a great way to close the book on our ship’s history.”
Rodney M. Davis, based out of Everett, Washington, and is on patrol supporting security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.