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Ships to set sail for Mediterranean terror deployment
Some of the five Navy ships deploying unexpectedly from the East Coast will be spending their deployment in the Mediterranean, according to Navy officials. The ships and their 2,500 sailors are making the deployment, according to a press release from the Norfolk, Va.-based 2nd Fleet, to "detect [and] disrupt international terrorist organizations' use of the maritime environment."Heading east will be the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan, the amphibious transport ship USS Nashville, the frigate USS Nicholas, the cruiser USS Philippine Sea and dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall. Neither 6th Fleet public affairs officer Cmdr. Cate Mueller nor 2nd Fleet officials would say which of the ships would remain in the Mediterranean. Those that do stay will "be engaging in a variety of productive theater security cooperation exercises, events and operations ⊠which are invaluable contributions to the international fight against terrorism," Mueller said. "These ships are coming for identified purposes, not just for a regularly scheduled deployment, and we are eager to put them to work ⊠." The ships will be working in conjunction with other nations, including NATO allies and countries in northern Africa, she said. The deployments are being made through the Fleet Response Plan, which last summer deployed dozens of ships, including seven aircraft carrier groups. FRP is designed to get ships ready for deployment sooner than in the past and keep them ready longer in case they are called to deploy unexpectedly, according to 2nd Fleet commander Vice Adm. Mark Fitzgerald. The Saipan, Nashville and Gunston Hall are designed to carry Marines and their equipment, but a 2nd Fleet public affairs official said the ships won't be taking the Marines, only their regular complement of sailors. Posted by: Fred 2005-05-30 |
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