Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class James Hong | NAVAL BASE KORSØR, Denmark (May 31, 2024) - U.S. Navy Gunner's Mate Seaman Recruit...... read more read more
U.S. and Royal Danish Navy Sailors trained together on loading inert SM-2 missile canisters onto ships, onboard Naval Base Korsør, Denmark, May 31, 2024, as part exercise Baltic Operations 2024 (BALTOPS24).
The U.S. Navy Sailors, assigned to Naval Cargo Handling Battalion (NCHB) 1’s Expeditionary Reload Team under Commander, Task Force 68, and Royal Danish Navy Sailors, assigned to the Royal Danish Navy’s Missile Maintenance Facility (MMF), drilled on transporting, loading and unloading missile canisters onto the Royal Danish Navy Ivar Huitfeldt-class frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (F362)’s Mk. 41 vertical launching system (VLS).
The training comes ahead of the Royal Danish Navy’s acquisition of SM-2 surface-to-air missiles for standard use on their Ivar Huitfeldt-class frigates. In May 2022 the Danish successfully launched their first SM-2 missile. In June 2023, NCHB 1 and the MMF first collaborated on loading VLS for BALTOPS 23.
“We learned a lot from each other,” said Royal Danish Navy Master Chief Finn Lindberg, senior enlisted leader of the MMF. “We gained experience since I know [NCHB 1] has done this many times and we haven’t done it as much.”
Lindberg also said he looks forward to the arrival of their own inert missile canisters, which will allow the MMF team to practice missile onloads more regularly.
The NCHB 1 team also concluded the exercise with more knowledge and experience on working with foreign warships. Although Ivar Huitfeldt-class frigates use a Mk. 41 VLS identical to those used by their American counterparts, the launcher is located high and center while U.S. designs place their launchers right above the main deck.
“We’re accustomed to working on [American] cruisers and destroyers,” said Lt. j.g. Justin Morgan, the officer in charge of NCHB’s Expeditionary Reload Team. “So getting the team out here to learn on non-U.S. vessels is very valuable.”
BALTOPS24 is the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region. The exercise, led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, provides a unique training opportunity to strengthen combined response capabilities critical to preserving freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea.
For over 80 years, NAVEUR-NAVAF forged strategic relationships with our Allies and Partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. SIXTHFLT is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
| Date Taken: | 05.31.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.07.2024 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 473319 |
| Location: | KORSøR, DK |
| Web Views: | 207 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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