when NOR PM Støre and Def. min. Gram flew to USA with high level intel
the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) arrived for a three-day port visit in Helsinki (Finland). The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), with embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), will join the Finnish Navy in the upcoming exercises in the Northern Baltic Sea, which are scheduled to be held in the period 8-19 August 2022.
6 Sept 2022 - USS Arlington (LPD 24) arrives in Visby, Sweden
The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24), assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), arrived in Visby, Sweden for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 6, 2022.
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.Immediately following the bilateral training with Sweden, the Kearsarge ARG-MEU transitioned to a maritime-focused exercise with SNMG1, a ready force continuously available to NATO, establishing Alliance presence and providing maritime capability in peacetime as well as during crisis and conflict.
12 Sept 2022 - NAVSUP, mission partners sustain USS Kearsarge ARG readiness for Baltic Sea exercises
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), are operating in the Baltic Sea to strengthen interoperability with key NATO allies and partners since May 2022.In August 2022, the ARG-MEU, consisting of Kearsarge, USS Arlington (LPD 24) and USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), trained alongside the Finnish and Swedish Navies to foster a shared goal of preserving security and stability in the Baltic region.After completing the exercises with the Finnish Navy, Arlington and Gunston Hall conducted a scheduled port visit in Riga, Latvia, Aug. 20. They later joined the rest of the ARG-MEU to participate in a maneuvering exercise with the Swedish Navy, Aug. 30.
for logistical resupply and military equipment maintenance after the intensive military exercises in the Baltic Sea. The Lithuanian and US navies have been actively cooperating for more than 30 years.
14 Sept 2022 - NAVSUP, mission partners sustain USS Kearsarge ARG readiness for Baltic Sea exercises
In August 2022, the ARG-MEU, consisting of Kearsarge, USS Arlington (LPD 24) and USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44), trained alongside the Finnish and Swedish Navies to foster a shared goal of preserving security and stability in the Baltic region.
"Our ability to support the ARG's logistics and maintenance periods in July and the ships' port visits in August demonstrate our commitment to facilitating end-to-end sustainment for U.S. ships across Europe's High North region as the ARG-MEU crewmembers accomplish their mission of strengthening relationships with Baltic allies and partners while ensuring maritime security throughout the region," MacKenzie said.
Kearsarge ARG is under the command and control of Task Force 61/2. Embarked commands with the ARG include Amphibious Squadron SIX, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Fleet Surgical Team 2, Fleet Surgical Team 4, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, Assault Craft Unit 2, Assault Craft Unit 4, Naval Beach Group 2, and Beach Master Unit 2. The Kearsarge ARG and larger amphibious task forces provide military commanders a wide range of flexible capabilities including maritime security operations, expeditionary power projection, strike operations, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, cyber operations, security cooperation and counter-proliferation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
Prior to arriving in Gdansk and Gdynia, Kearsarge and Gunston Hall, along with San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), participated in two training events in and around the Baltic Sea with the Swedish and Finnish Armed Forces as well as NATO Allied Maritime Command’s (MARCOM) Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1. The training enhanced the ARG and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit’s (MEU) ability to operate alongside allies and partners while demonstrating the strength of a cohesive NATO alliance.
While in Gdynia and Gdansk, Kearsarge and Gunston Hall leadership will participate in key leader engagements to include an office call with the 3rd Ships Flotilla Commander.
15 Sept 2022 - Ishee assumes command of U.S. Sixth Fleet and Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO
U.S. NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY NAPLES, Italy - Vice Adm. Thomas E. Ishee relieved Vice Adm. Gene Black III as commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet (SIXTHFLT) and commander, Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) in a change of command ceremony held onboard U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy, Sept. 15, 2022.
“Gene has sustained an unprecedented level of activity as the fleet commander for the Euro-Atlantic area, recalibrating our combined forces for dynamic operations, as the tenets of strategic competition dictate, to deter Russian aggression and stand ready to defend NATO,” said Munsch. “No one can look at the tenor you’ve set and argue that our adversaries haven’t factored your warfighting command of Sixth Fleet and STRIKFORNATO into their calculus.”
Ishee, previously the Director of Global Operations for U.S. Strategic Command, spoke of his appreciation for the team he will lead, while outlining his vision and goals for the command.
“History is unfolding before our eyes, and our nation, the alliance, other allies and our partners around the world are relying on Sixth Fleet and STRIKFORNATO to maintain freedom of navigation, defend our nations and the alliance, and support our partners,” said Ishee.
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.
15 Sept 2022 - USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) arrives in Riga, Latvia
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) arrived in Riga, Latvia for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 15, 2022.
“Our presence in Riga serves as a physical reminder to the Latvians that we fully support the NATO alliance and the Baltic States,” said Cmdr. Aaron Arky, Paul Ignatius’ commanding officer.
Since departing Tallinn Estonia in late August, Paul Ignatius has operated in the Baltic Sea with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) as well as the Swedish Navy and Dutch, Portuguese, and Norwegian navies attached to NATO Allied Maritime Command’s (MARCOM) Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1.
Paul Ignatius is the latest U.S. Navy ship to conduct a port visit in Riga, following the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) just last week and fellow destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) in July of this year.
Paul Ignatius is currently on patrol in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR) area of operations as a member of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) force.
She began her patrol on Aug. 1, 2022 and joined up with the Kearsarge ARG in the Baltic Sea, Aug. 30, 2022.
18 Sept 2022 In GdyniaFour U.S. Navy destroyers are based in Rota, Spain and are assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture.
22 Sept 2022 - USA: USA withdraws large fleet from the Baltic sea
Port visit of the “Kearsarge” in the Polish naval port of Gdynia last Wednesday. The visit to Poland marked the end of the Baltic Sea presence of the large battle group around the 40,000-ton carrier.
One day after Russia announced partial mobilization, the USA is withdrawing its amphibious battle group from the Baltic Sea. But the withdrawal is said to have a completely different reason.
September 22, 2022, 12:31 p.m
Kiel. Shortly before 10 a.m. on Thursday morning, a large US combat group passed through the Fehmarnbelt. The direction of travel was out of the Baltic Sea. The “Kearsarge” battle group has fulfilled its mission.
[MRT: Why such abrupt change in operation mission? It was projecting power]
23 Sept 2022 - USA: Kearsarge group left Baltic sea
A US Navy fleet passed Fehmarn on Thursday morning. The "USS Kearsarge" as flagship was the largest warship.
No "official" data for the period afterwards
The increased presence in the Baltic Sea has also had an impact on the Navy's annual autumn maneuvers: Northern Coasts lasted longer than usual this year at four weeks, from 29 August to 28 September. This provided an opportunity for more participation from Germany's Baltic Sea partners.
"As a major resident, we have a natural focus in the Baltic Sea region," explains the Inspector of the Navy, Vice Admiral Jan-Christian Kaack. "Our allies expect a leadership role from us."
"There has been a significant shift in the projects of our ships, boats and aircraft from outside to the Baltic Sea," confirms frigate captain Ulrich F. from the MOCMaritime Operations Centre. And he adds: “This applies to both national and international units. However, exact figures, data and facts are classified.”
"...As much steel at sea as possible..."
Sailors and Marines assigned to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) returned home to Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia after completing a seven-month deployment in the Sixth Fleet area of operations, Oct. 13.“From March to September of this year, we safely executed more than 12 major exercises and bilateral training opportunities. Together, the Kearsarge ARG-MEU operated alongside NATO Allies and partners in port and underway demonstrating solidarity, maintaining a high level of readiness, and preserving security and stability in our operating regions..."While operating in the Baltic region, Kearsarge and the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) participated in an Estonian-led exercise, Hedgehog (Siil) 22 with Estonian Defense Forces and forces from Task Group 61/2.4 and the NATO-led exercise, Neptune Shield which incorporate 18 NATO Allies and partners working together through multiple domains throughout the European continent and waters.In June, Kearsarge and Gunston Hall participated in the joint, annual multinational exercise, Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 22 designed to enhance interoperability, capability, and demonstrate cohesion among Allied and Partner forces in defending the Baltic Sea region.The Kearsarge ARG-MEU team returned to the Baltic region as a combined force to continue strengthening relationships and partnerships. Through rapid planning, coordination, and execution, the ARG-MEU team successfully completed bilateral training events with Finland, Sweden, and Standing NATO Maritime Group (SNMG) 1 during the months of August and September.
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