This port go to comes on the heels of the twenty eighth U.S. Secretary of Protection’s go to to Gerald R. Ford throughout which the Secretary reiterated the significance of the GRFCSG’s presence within the Japanese Mediterranean and its contribution to regional deterrence.
“The Sailors of USS Gerald R. Ford are excited to return to the attractive island of Crete,” mentioned Capt. Rick Burgess, Commanding Officer of Gerald R. Ford. “Greece and america have had a powerful NATO alliance since 1952 and we take pleasure in and recognize each alternative to strengthen our maritime partnership in addition to the wealthy historical past, meals, and tradition this space has to supply.”
This port go to is the capital ship’s seventh cease whereas deployed to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR) space of operations. The U.S. Navy routinely operates with Greece, sending its largest plane service within the fleet to Souda Bay twice after it visited Piraeus in July.
The ship deployed from Norfolk, Virginia on Might 2, and has been conducting coaching, workouts, and operations to assist maritime stability and safety in protection of U.S., Allied, and accomplice pursuits.
Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy’s latest and most superior plane service. Because the first-in-class ship of Ford-class plane carriers, CVN 78 represents a generational leap within the U.S. Navy’s capability to challenge energy on a world scale. Ford-class plane carriers introduce 23 new applied sciences, together with Electromagnetic Plane Launch System, Superior Arresting Gear and Superior Weapons Elevators. The brand new techniques integrated onto Ford-class ships are designed to ship higher lethality, survivability and joint interoperability with a 20% smaller crew than a Nimitz-class service, paving the way in which ahead for naval aviation.
The Gerald R. Ford Service Strike Group (GRFCSG) is conducting a scheduled deployment in U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet space of operations, demonstrating the dedication and energy projection functionality of the Navy’s globally deployed pressure. The GRFCSG gives an inherently versatile naval pressure able to deploying throughout combatant instructions to satisfy rising missions, deter potential adversaries, reassure allies and companions, improve safety and assure the free circulate of world commerce. In whole, the GRFCSG is deployed with greater than 6,000 Sailors throughout all platforms prepared to reply globally to combatant commander tasking.
The Gerald R. Ford Service Strike Group consists of Service Strike Group 12, Service Air Wing 8, Destroyer Squadron 2, USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS McFaul (DDG 74), and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116).
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet operates U.S. naval forces within the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) areas of accountability. U.S. Sixth Fleet is completely assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces via the total spectrum of joint and naval operations. Our persistent presence in Europe is in accordance with our worldwide commitments and agreements and is critical to reassure our Allies and Companions of our dedication to collective protection.
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