Ships from various nations in the Baltic Region and the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS "Mount Whitney" (LCC-20) begin the underway phase of Baltic Operations 2014. Baltic Operations is an annual, multinational exercise to enhance maritime capabilities and interoperability, and to support regional stability. The leading ships are (from top): a British "Duke"-class frigate, a German "Sachsen"-class frigate, and a German "Brandenburg"-class frigate.