One of the challenges of keeping U.S. naval forces on station and on mission throughout a vast expanse, from the High North to the southern tip of Africa, involves keeping these units and personnel fed, fueled, and fit to fight.
Components of the Dwight D. Eisenhower (IKE) Carrier Strike Group (CSG) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean after an eight-month deployment in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO), June 22, 2024.
U.S. and Allied forces are conducting mine hunting and mine detonation exercises in the Baltic Sea as part of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2024, the premier maritime-focused annual military exercise in the Baltic Region. Mine countermeasure (MCM) exercises, conducted by personnel at TruppenĂĽbungsplatz Putlos and Hohn Air Base in Germany, commenced June 7 and culminated in an MCM combat rehearsal, June 18.
While led by U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and the U.S. 6th Fleet, exercise Baltic Operations 2024 (BALTOPS24) is commanded-and-controlled by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO), headquartered in Oeiras, Portugal. During the execution, STRIKFORNATO's headquarters hosts a substantial multinational coalition of liaison officers and augmentees from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands,...
