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        11 April 2024    

                    USS Gunston Hall Returns Home After NATO Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024                 
                The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) returned home to Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, April 11, following Steadfast Defender 2024, NATO’s largest exercise in decades.             

        13 February 2024    

                    U.S. 2nd Fleet forward deploys for Steadfast Defender 2024                 
                A contingent of more than 100 U.S. 2nd Fleet and Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 2 personnel are forward deployed to Bodø, Norway to establish a maritime command element, Commander Task Force North (CTF-N), in support of the NATO exercise Steadfast Defender 2024.            

        13 December 2023    

                    Naval Special Warfare Enhances Allied Defense with Romanian Special Operations Forces                 
                East-Coast based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs) and the 164th Romanian Naval Special Operations Forces (ROUSOF) conducted training on maritime interdiction operations, special reconnaissance, and special operations tactics to enhance allied defense throughout the European region. The joint            

        30 May 2023    

                    U.S. Sixth Fleet, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO to kick off BALTOPS 2023                 
                The 52nd iteration of Baltic Operations 2023 (BALTOPS 23), NATO’s premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic Region, is set to begin from Tallinn, Estonia, June 4-16.            

        03 May 2023    

                    From War Bears to Mules: Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 60 Detachment 2 Provides Back-to-Back Critical Support to EUCOM, NATO Maritime Group 2                 
                Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 60 Detachment 2 (HSM-60.2), spent the majority of 2022 deployed supporting near back-to-back operations embarked aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75).The “Jaguars” of HSM-60, based out            

        03 April 2023    

                    Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group Completes COMPTUEX                 
                The Sailors, ships, squadrons and staffs of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) successfully completed composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), April 2, 2023.            

        30 March 2023    

                    Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Commander, U.S. European Command embarks USS George H.W. Bush                 
                AT SEA - U.S. Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander, U.S. European Command visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) at sea, March 24, 2023.            

        29 March 2023    

                    Carrier Strike Group 10 Participates in Spain’s Tactical Leadership Program                 
                Pilots assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, the offensive air and strike component of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 and the George H.W. Bush CSG, participated in a Tactical Leadership Program (TLP) at Albacete Air Base, Spain, Feb. 13 – March 3, 2023.            

        20 March 2023    

                    USS Porter (DDG 78) arrives in Tallinn, Estonia                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) arrived in Tallinn, Estonia, March 20, 2023 for a scheduled port visit to enhance U.S.-Estonia relations as the two nations work together for a stable, secure, and prosperous Europe.            

        11 March 2023    

                    USS Nitze (DDG 94) Arrives in Valletta, Malta                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) arrived in Valletta, Malta, for a scheduled port visit, March 11, 2023.             

        01 March 2023    

                    NATO concludes successful Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 2023-1                 
                Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT) concluded nine days of Vigilance Activity Neptune Strike 2023-1 (NEST 23.1), the ninth phase of NATO’s long-planned Project Neptune series of activities, Feb. 28.            

        02 February 2023    

                    Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 Strengthens Ties in Montenegro                 
                BAR, Montenegro – Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) concluded a port visit in Bar on Jan. 28.            

        10 January 2023    

                    Standing NATO Maritime Group Two Sets Sail With New Flagship                 
                ROTA, Spain - Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) departed Naval Station Rota on Friday, January, 6th 2023 after a scheduled change of flagship to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E Williams (DDG 95).            

        01 January 2023    

                    Cohesion at sea: Maritime deterrence and defense throughout 2022                 
                In the Baltic Sea, Estonian troops and U.S. Marines rehearse amphibious assault drills, storming the beach and quickly seizing objectives in concert as the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) patrols the horizon.            

        23 December 2022    

                    USS Forrest Sherman Returns to Norfolk after NATO Deployment                 
                NORFOLK, Va. - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) returned to Naval Station Norfolk from deployment, Dec. 22.            

        14 December 2022    

                    Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) Transfers Flagship in Rota                 
                Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) transferred its flagship as scheduled from U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) to U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) at Naval Station Rota on Tuesday.            

        05 December 2022    

                    Finnish Minister of Defense Visits USS Arlington in Norfolk on Same Day U.S. Destroyer Visits Helsinki                 
                NORFOLK, Va. - As Finland awaits the finalization of their NATO membership process following its May North Atlantic Treaty Organization application, the Honorable Antti Kaikkonen, Finland’s Minister of Defense, visited the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington            

        30 November 2022    

                    More than Platitudes: Lasting Relationships in the NATO Alliance                 
                The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG) transited the Strait of Messina, a historically treacherous chokepoint between Southern Italy and Sicily, Nov. 26, 2022. For Cmdr. Brian Conlan, navigation officer aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), the transit            

        28 November 2022    

                    George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Naples, Italy                 
                The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) – along with the embarked staff of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10, George H.W. Bush CSG -- arrived in Naples, Italy, for a scheduled port visit, Nov. 28, 2022.            

        26 November 2022    

                    Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group Returns to Homeport Concluding Inaugural Deployment                 
                NORFOLK – The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), flagship of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG), returned to Naval Station Norfolk, after successfully completing its inaugural deployment throughout the Atlantic while conducting exercises and port visits            

        17 November 2022    

                    Five Allied Carrier Strike Groups Patrol Waters in NATO's Area of Operations                 
                MONS, Belgium – Five Allied aircraft carriers will be operating in the Atlantic Ocean and the North and Mediterranean Seas in November, as part of their regularly scheduled activities.            

        28 October 2022    

                    USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in Halifax for First International Port Visit                 
                HALIFAX, Nova Scotia - The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) and embarked crew arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the ship’s first international port visit, Oct. 28, 2022.            

        26 October 2022    

                    Secretary General aboard USS George H.W. Bush: NATO’s strength deters conflict                 
                ADRIATIC SEA - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Adriatic Sea on Tuesday (25 October 2022). The Bush currently leads a carrier strike group under NATO command, which Mr. Stoltenberg called “a demonstration of US            

        24 October 2022    

                    Carrier Strike Group 4 Exercise Enhances Beginning of Gerald R. Ford Inaugural Deployment with NATO Allies                 
                The Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and ships from three North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries completed a three-week exercise orchestrated by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 4 called Task Force Exercise (TFEX) 23-2 from Oct. 5 to 23.             

        10 October 2022    

                    Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 Departs Taranto, Italy, Starts Mare Aperto 22-2                 
                TARANTO, Italy - Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) departed Naval Station Taranto Oct. 3 for the start of Exercise Mare Aperto 22-2 (MA 22-2), a large, live exercise conducted by the Italian Navy in company with Allied and EU partners.            

        29 September 2022    

                    USS Gerald R. Ford Set to Depart on First Deployment                 
                NORFOLK, Va. —The Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) will deploy and operate alongside a coalition of allied forces together in the Atlantic area of operations, Monday, October 3.            

        12 September 2022    

                    NATO Exercise Dynamic Mariner/Mavi Balina 22 begins in Mediterranean                 
                AKSAZ, Türkiye - NATO’s Exercise Dynamic Mariner-Mavi Balina 22 kicked off from Aksaz Naval Base Sept. 11.            

        09 September 2022    

                    Kearsarge ARG and 22nd MEU Complete Training with Sweden and NATO                 
                BALTIC SEA - The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) with the embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) concluded two successful training events with the Swedish Armed Forces and Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 while operating in the Baltic Sea, Sept. 4, 2022.            

        29 August 2022    

                    NATO Ships Concludes Alexandria Port Visit and Naval Exercise with Egyptian Navy                 
                ALEXANDRIA, Egypt - Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) concluded a port visit in Alexandria, Egypt, by conducting a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the Egyptian Navy, Aug. 24.            

        18 July 2022    

                    French, Italian ships join Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group                 
                The French Navy Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate FS Languedoc (D 654) and Italian Navy Carlo Bergamini-class FREMM frigate ITS Alpino (F 594) joined the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group (HSTCSG) in the Mediterranean Sea in July            

        18 July 2022    

                    USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) arrives in Aksaz, Turkey                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) arrived in Aksaz, Turkey for a scheduled port visit, July 18, 2022.             

        09 July 2022    

                    USS Arleigh Burke arrives in Riga, Latvia                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) arrived in Riga, Latvia for a scheduled port visit on July 9, 2022.            

        28 June 2022    

                    USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) arrives in Taranto, Italy                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) arrived in Taranto, Italy for a scheduled port visit, June 27, 2022.            

        27 June 2022    

                    USS San Jacinto (CG 56) arrives in Valletta, Malta                 
                VALLETTA, Malta - The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56) arrived in Valletta, Malta for a scheduled port visit, June 26.            

        24 June 2022    

                    USS Gravely Returns Home to Norfolk, Virginia                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) returned to Naval Station Norfolk after a regularly scheduled deployment, June 24.            

        17 June 2022    

                    BALTOPS 22, the premier Baltic Sea maritime exercise, concludes in Kiel                 
                KIEL, Germany - Sixteen NATO Allied and partner nations concluded the 51st iteration of Baltic Operations 2022 (BALTOPS22) in Kiel, Germany, June 17, 2022.            

        12 June 2022    

                    BALTOPS 22: A perfect opportunity for research and testing new technology                 
                Exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 22, the premier maritime-focused exercise in the Baltic region, began June 5, 2022, in the Baltic Sea. With a significant focus of BALTOPS every year being the demonstration of NATO mine hunting capabilities, the U.S. Navy continues to use the exercise as an            

        11 June 2022    

                    USS Forrest Sherman Departs for Mediterranean NATO Deployment                 
                NORFOLK - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) departed on deployment from its home port of Norfolk, June 11.            

        05 June 2022    

                    USS Gravely (DDG 107) arrives in Gdynia, Poland                 
                The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) arrived in Gdynia, Poland, June 5, 2022, for a scheduled port visit to enhance the United States-Polish partnership and facilitate a robust, united, and fruitful NATO alliance.            

        05 June 2022    

                    Exercise Baltic Operations kicks off in the Baltic Sea                 
                Fourteen NATO allies, two NATO partner nations, over 45 ships, more than 75 aircraft, and approximately 7,000 personnel kick off Baltic Operations (BALTOPS 22) from Stockholm today.             

        03 June 2022    

                    NATO concludes vigilance activity Neptune Shield 22                 
                Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) and U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT) concluded the NATO-led Vigilance Activity NEPTUNE SHIELD 2022 (NESH22) from STRIKFORNATO’s Joint Operations Centre in Oeiras, Portugal, May 31.            

        05 May 2022    

                    In a first, a littoral combat ship deploys to U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations                 
                In a historic moment for the region, a Freedom-variant littoral combat ship, USS Sioux City (LCS 11), deployed to U.S. Sixth Fleet’s area of operations, supporting U.S. and NATO Ally and Partner interests in Europe and Africa.            

        19 April 2022    

                    USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) Arrives in Narvik, Norway                 
                The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Narvik, Norway for a scheduled port visit to enhance U.S.-Norway relations and build NATO Alliance cohesion,            

        14 April 2022    

                    USS Arlington (LPD 24) Arrives In Reykjavik, Iceland                 
                The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland for a scheduled port visit to enhance U.S.-Iceland relations and build NATO Alliance cohesion,            

        20 May 2021    

                    Joint Force Command Norfolk Kicks off Part 1 of NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2021                 
                A dynamic NATO maritime live exercise (LIVEX) has begun off the coast of Portugal with participation from 11 Allied Nations from North America and Europe as a part of Steadfast Defender 2021, May 20.            

        01 October 2020    

                    CJOS COE Transfers from USFF to C2F                 
                Combined Joint Operations from the Sea Centre of Excellence (CJOS COE), a NATO-accredited, multi-national military think tank, transferred directorship from the deputy commander of U.S. Fleet Forces Command to commander, U.S.  2ndFleet (C2F), Oct. 1.            

        17 September 2020    

                    NATO’s New Command in the Atlantic Reaches Its First Operational Milestone                 
                NATO’s newest command, Joint Force Command Norfolk, has reached its initial operational capability (IOC) in a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 17, 2020. In reaching IOC, the JFCNF commander has determined that the command is ready to take on initial tasking from NATO’s operational headquarters in            

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