Photo Gallery BLACK SEA REGION —Within hours of kicking off the first multilateral cooperative underway training event in the Black Sea region aboard the amphibious command ship Mount Whitney, Rear Adm. Robert M. Clark, director of Maritime Partnership programs for Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, met with the Romanian frigate flotilla deputy and chief of staff aboard the Romanian frigate Regina Maria, Sept. 24.
The Romanian Captains Sorin Learschi and Stefan Georgescu demonstrated a training exercise and continued their discussions with the admiral about initiatives to improve maritime security and safety and regional cooperation.
“We are focused primarily on improving communication,” Clark said. “Communication is the barest essential of interoperability.”
The admiral said the Romanians have made significant progress in the last three years and have a well-detailed plan in place.
Romania is one of five partner nations with junior officers and senior enlisted on the 6th Fleet flag ship for the Black Sea Partnership Cruise, which began, Sept. 24.
Representatives from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, the Republic of Georgia, Romania and Ukraine boarded Mount Whitney, Sept. 22-23, for the five-day training evolution. The evolution will include four primary workshops for helicopter control operations, noncommissioned officer development, interoperability discussions and an oil spill table top discussion.
“We want to help partner nations work together to enhance skill sets and capabilities for them to be able to do whatever action is required to protect their national and regional interests,” Clark said.
Through the CNE Theater Security Cooperation program, the U.S. Navy works with countries in the regions of the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa, the Black and Caspian seas, North Africa, and South, Southeast Africa to help build local maritime security and safety procedures and protect natural resources.
“We want to develop regional control by regional players through freely exchanging unclassified information, establishing common procedures for maritime safety and security and enhancing naval capabilities,” Clark said.
The TSC program is an integral part of CNE’s efforts in building global and regional maritime networks in order to enhance maritime security and cooperation.
“All the nations of the world are important partners. All countries have a specific role. Their primary role is national defense, but they also have a regional obligation to assist their neighbors,” Clark added.
Post a Comment »
The Flagship staff values the opinion of our newspaper and website readers. If you have a question or comment, please submit it to us. If you would like a response, be sure to include your contact information. We will respond as quickly as possible.
