Greater than 4,000 Sailors and Marines assigned to the Kearsarge ARG, and embarked twenty second MEU, supported a variety of interoperability alternatives and workout routines throughout the U.S. Sixth Fleet space of operations protecting the Excessive North, North Atlantic, Central Mediterranean, and Baltic area growing fight readiness and disaster response capabilities whereas strengthening relationships with each NATO Allies and companions.
“Immediately is a celebration of the Kearsarge ARG-MEU homecoming following a profitable deployment to the Excessive North, the Central Mediterranean and the Baltic Sea for seven months which demonstrated our dynamic potential to function in any setting with resilience and mission success,” mentioned Capt. Aaron Kelley, commander of the Kearsarge ARG and Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Six. “From March to September of this yr, we safely executed greater than 12 main workout routines and bilateral coaching alternatives. Collectively, the Kearsarge ARG-MEU operated alongside NATO Allies and companions in port and underway demonstrating solidarity, sustaining a excessive degree of readiness, and preserving safety and stability in our working areas. I’m humbled by the ability and professionalism of this ARG-MEU workforce and very pleased with what they completed.”
Workout routines within the Excessive North and North Atlantic areas included Northern Viking 2022, a multinational amphibious and maritime train alongside Allied nations from France, Germany, Iceland, Norway and the UK; and a bilateral coaching occasion in northern Norway and the Norwegian Sea, exercising built-in chilly climate and reside fireplace coaching with Norwegian Armed Forces.
“I’m immensely pleased with the excessive efficiency and excellent professionalism displayed by our Sailors throughout this distinctive deployment,” mentioned Capt. Tom Foster, commanding officer of USS Kearsarge (LHD 3). “We operated for over 30 days, effectively north of the Arctic Circle, in essentially the most unpredictable climate setting we now have ever skilled. We additionally spent months working within the Baltic Sea partaking in coaching and workout routines with our NATO Allies and serving as a counter to Russian aggression in Jap Europe.”
Within the Central Mediterranean, Sailors and Marines assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) participated in coaching alternatives and workout routines similar to Alexander the Nice 22, a bilateral U.S.-Greece (Hellenic) amphibious coaching occasion; EFES 22, a biennial, multinational, mixed joint and reside firing train with Turkish Armed Forces and U.S. Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and medical groups; in addition to African Lion (AL) 22, an train enhancing the U.S. African Command’s partnership and safety cooperation with the Tunisian Ministry of Protection.
“Arlington participated in seven multinational workout routines permitting the U.S. to strengthen NATO Allies and partnerships, to incorporate two separate bilateral workout routines with Finland and Sweden as a reformed ARG-MEU.” mentioned Capt. Eric Kellum, commanding officer of Arlington. “I feel that after once more we have been capable of reveal the flexibleness and flexibility that an ARG-MEU brings to the combat.”
Whereas working within the Baltic area, Kearsarge and the Whidbey Island-class dock touchdown ship USS Gunston Corridor (LSD 44) participated in an Estonian-led train, Hedgehog (Siil) 22 with Estonian Protection Forces and forces from Activity Group 61/2.4 and the NATO-led train, Neptune Defend which incorporate 18 NATO Allies and companions working collectively by means of a number of domains all through the European continent and waters.
“We’re glad to have been given the chance to assist and work with our Allies and Companions,” mentioned Cmdr. Beth Nelson, commanding officer of Gunston Corridor. “I’m extraordinarily pleased with the exhausting work, resilience and dedication of each member of the Gunston Corridor workforce.”
In June, Kearsarge and Gunston Corridor participated within the joint, annual multinational train, Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 22 designed to boost interoperability, functionality, and reveal cohesion amongst Allied and Companion forces in defending the Baltic Sea area.
Following BALTOPS 22 and AL 22, the Kearsarge ARG-MEU carried out scheduled upkeep availability durations in Brest, France; Rijeka, Croatia; and Copenhagen, Denmark all through July 2022. The upkeep availability durations, which included mid-deployment voyage restore (MDVR) evolutions, permit U.S. Navy ships to perform obligatory and preventative repairs to proceed their missions within the area whereas concurrently strengthening relationships with host nations.
The Kearsarge ARG-MEU workforce returned to the Baltic area as a mixed pressure to proceed strengthening relationships and partnerships. By fast planning, coordination, and execution, the ARG-MEU workforce efficiently accomplished bilateral coaching occasions with Finland, Sweden, and Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 in the course of the months of August and September.
Upon conclusion of operations within the Baltic area, the ARG-MEU efficiently accomplished a cumulative of 29 port visits throughout the ARG visiting 14 NATO Allied and companion nations together with Reykjavik, Iceland; Narvik and Tromsø, Norway; Volos and Alexandropoulos, Greece; Tallinn, Estonia; Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm and Visby, Sweden; Gabés, Tunisia; Kiel, Germany; Brest, France; Rijeka, Croatia; Copenhagen and Kalundborg, Denmark; Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Gdańsk and Gdynia, Poland. Throughout every go to, the ARG-MEU engaged with representatives from embassies, ministries of protection, and native authorities, army, and civilian officers to strengthen relationships with NATO Allies and companions by means of in-person key chief engagements and exchanges together with media availabilities, ship excursions, workplace calls, ceremonies and receptions, and group service tasks.
“Our households and associates needs to be pleased with the service their Marines rendered and I consider the 22d MEU has represented II MEF and the Marine Corps accordingly,” mentioned Col. Paul Merida, commanding officer of the twenty second MEU. “All of this was finished inside the again drop of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict, which added a further sense of significance to our work, a lot of which was finished alongside our NATO allies and different key regional companions.”
The Kearsarge ARG consists of Kearsarge, Arlington and Gunston Corridor, stationed in Norfolk, Va. Embarked instructions embrace Amphibious Squadron Six Fleet Surgical Group 2, Fleet Surgical Group 4, Tactical Air Management Squadron 22, Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron 28 stationed in Norfolk, Va., and Naval Seaside Group 2, Assault Craft Unit 2, Assault Craft Unit 4 stationed in Norfolk, Va., and Seaside Grasp Unit 2 stationed in Virginia Seaside, Va.
The twenty second MEU’s mission is to offer the US with a forward-deployed, amphibious force-in-readiness able to executing missions throughout the complete spectrum of fight and army operations apart from struggle and consists of 4 fundamental components – a command aspect, a floor fight aspect, Battalion Touchdown Group (BLT) 2/6, a logistics fight aspect, Fight Logistics Battalion (CLB) 26, and an aviation fight aspect, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 Strengthened.
The ARG-MEU’s presence abroad supported strategic pursuits and contributed to regional safety and stability and reassuring U.S. dedication to a number of areas. The blue-green workforce supplied operational flexibility to combatant commanders by offering a flexible contingency response pressure utilizing sea, air, land and logistical property. The flexibility inherent to the amphibious pressure allowed for versatile and mission-tailored forces, whereas representing our nation’s energy, functionality, and resolve to companions and allies and deterring potential adversaries.
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the altering international safety setting, develops and employs maritime forces able to combat throughout a number of domains within the Atlantic and Arctic to be able to guarantee entry, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and companion pursuits.
