USS Mahan visits Sevastopol

Embassy of the United States

KYIV - Approximately 1,200 members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps are participating in a series of naval training engagements with forces from Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine in the Black Sea during August.

The Black Sea deployment includes the USS Nashville (LPD 13), USS Mahan (DDG 72) and air assets assigned to Task Force 67. The deployment is part of the U.S. Navy's Global War on Terrorism Summer Surge 05.

The training includes key evolutions such as maritime interception operations, damage control techniques, small boat operations, and communication and navigation procedures. There will be crew exchanges and a project to help a local orphanage in one port.

The diverse and demanding training agenda is designed to enhance interoperability by developing military-to-military cooperation between the United States and the participating countries. They include a host of opportunities to operate together and develop productive relationships resulting in a better understanding of each other's capabilities and resources.

In addition to exercises and drills, crew members will also have a chance to sightsee, shop and enjoy recreational activities, as well as participate in other cultural exchanges with the citizens of countries they'll visit.

In Ukraine, the USS Mahan visited Sevastopol on August 2 and 3. The USS Mahan is a guided missile destroyer designed to provide multi-mission and defense capabilities. It can operate independently or as part of carrier, expeditionary or surface strike groups. It is approximately 150 meters long and 18 meters wide, and displaces approximately 8,400 tons fully loaded. The ship is capable of reaching speeds in excess of 30 knots. The USS Mahan's home port is Norfolk, Va.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, August 28, 2005, No. 35, Vol. LXXIII

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