USS Gettysburg Takes Part in FLEETEX

Sailors aboard guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) participated in a multinational fleet training exercise (FLEETEX) Aug. 20-25.

Gettysburg conducted exercises with Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 and a Canadian task group, strengthening international relationships with allied maritime partners.

The events included submarine familiarization, maritime interdiction operations, as well as live fire weapons exercises.

As part of anti-submarine warfare training, Gettysburg and Canadian ships HMCS Athabaskan (DDG 282), HMCS Fredericton (FFH 337), and HMCS Halifax (FFH 330) worked together to establish sustained visual and acoustic contact with a submarine.

The four surface ships located and tracked the submarine using a combination of active and passive sonar.

In order to maintain proficiency in visit, board, search and seizure operations, Gettysburg’s boarding team conducted a compliant boarding of the dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12).

The boarding provided at sea experience for the boarding team, boat crew, combat information center and bridge watch standers.

During FLEETEX, Gettysburg, the Canadian ships and the Turkish Navy ship TCG Kemalreis (F-247), part of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two, conducted a live fire exercise where they engaged traditional inflatable floating “killer tomato” targets, as well as a Canadian remote controlled target designed to simulate a fast inshore attack craft called a “Hammerhead.”

Gettysburg is scheduled to enter the shipyards for an extended maintenance availability in Fall 2014.