USS Fitzgerald Operating in Sea of Japan

SEA OF JAPAN (April 25, 2017) The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) conducts a bilateral training exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force  guided-missile destroyer JS Choukai (DDG 176). Exercises like this enhance information sharing and combined maritime defense capabilities to ensure the U.S. and our allies remain ready to defend the region against any provocations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class William McCann/Released)

US Navy Conducts Simultaneous Bilateral Exercises with JMSDF and ROK

PACIFIC OCEAN (April 30, 2009) The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer JDS Kurama (DDH 144), left, and the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) take part in Exercise Malabar 2009. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the U.S. Navy are participating in Exercise Malabar 2009, an annual exercise led by the Indian Navy. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Viramontes/Released)

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- U.S. Navy ships are conducting simultaneous bilateral maritime exercises with the Republic of Korea Navy and with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force today and tomorrow (April 25-26, local time).

The destroyers USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and ROKN Wang Geon (DDH 978) are conducting combined maritime exercises in waters west of the Korean Peninsula while the destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and JMSDF JS Chokai (DDG 176) execute combined maritime exercises in waters west of Japan.

Both exercises demonstrate a shared commitment to security and stability in Northeast Asia as well as the U.S. Navy's inherent flexibility to combine with allied naval forces in response to a broad range of situations.

USS Fitzgerald Arrives in Northern Japan

AOMORI, Japan (Aug. 5, 2013) Dancers from the Japan Self-Defense Force Parental Association of Aomori perform a traditional Nebuta dance in honor of the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) arriving in Aomori, Japan, for a port visit. Fitzgerald Sailors will take part in Nebuta Festival parades, experience the local culture, and offer assistance at a nearby orphanage while in port. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel Sanford/Released)

 

By Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Daniel Sanford, Naval Air Facility Misawa Public Affairs

AOMORI, Japan (NNS) -- USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) moored in Aomori, Japan, Aug. 5, for a port visit to the northern Japan city that is in the midst of hosting its annual Nebuta Festival.

While in port, the guided-missile destroyer's crew members will have an opportunity to experience the local culture by taking part in several of the festival's renowned parades and events.

However, the ship also plans to spend time participating in community engagement events.

"Visiting Aomori provides our Sailors with an opportunity to experience a part of Japan that not many Sailors get to experience," said Cmdr. Jonathan Schmitz, Fitzgerald commanding officer, and a native of Huntsville, Ala. "The crew is especially looking forward to experiencing the Nebuta Festival, which should be a lot of fun for them."

While the visit will be a nice break for the ship's crew, it also serves as an outward demonstration of U.S. commitment to the defense of Japan, and to maintain peace and stability throughout the entire East Asia region.

"The significance of this visit and our participation in the Nebuta Festival is not lost upon us," said Schmitz. "We are very proud to be here in this beautiful city, and grateful for the opportunity to experience such an incredible opportunity."

Fitzgerald Command Master Chief Josh Davis said the festival, which attracts millions of tourists each year, is an opportunity that his Sailors should not take for granted.

"I enjoy seeing our Sailors participate in different cultural activities, and this parade is another great opportunity for them to experience," said Davis, who originally hails from Columbus, Ohio. This is an opportunity for these young Sailors to come out here and experience a culture unique to not only Japan, but to this region as well. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I hope they'll all take part in."

Fitzgerald crew members will have the opportunity to participate in both the Tachi Nebuta in Goshogawara, as well as the Aomori Nebuta in downtown Aomori-shi. But in keeping with the ship's namesake selflessness, Fitzgerald Sailors will also me assisting at a local orphanage during their stay in northern Japan.

Fitzpatrick is Arleigh Burke-class, guided-missile destroyer forward deployed out of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, and has a complement of more than 300 Sailors. It was commissioned Oct. 14, 1995 and was named in honor of Lt. William C. Fitzgerald

Ballistic Missile Defense System Successfully Conducts Largest Missile Defense Flight Test in History

MECK ISLAND, Republic of the Marshall Islands (Oct. 25, 2012) A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor missile is launched from Meck Island to intercept a ballistic missile target during a Missile Defense Agency integrated flight test. Americas Sailors are Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) successfully conducted the largest, most complex missile defense flight test ever attempted, Oct. 24.

MDA, Soldiers from the 94th and 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command (AAMDC); Sailors aboard USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62); and Airmen from the 613th Air and Space Operations Center conducted test, resulting in the simultaneous engagement of five ballistic missile and cruise missile targets.

An integrated air and ballistic missile defense architecture used multiple sensors and missile
defense systems to engage multiple targets at the same time. All targets were successfully launched and initial indications are that the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system successfully intercepted its first medium-range ballistic target in history, and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) near simultaneously destroyed a short-range ballistic missile and a low flying cruise missile target over water.

The live-fire demonstration, conducted at U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan Test Site, Hickam Air Force Base, and surrounding areas in the western Pacific, stressed the performance of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), THAAD, and Patriot weapon systems.

An Extended Long Range Air Launch Target (E-LRALT) missile was air-dropped over the broad ocean area north of Wake Island from a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft, staged from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The AN/TPY-2 X-band radar, located with the THAAD system on Meck Island, tracked the E-LRALT and a THAAD interceptor successfully intercepted the medium-range ballistic missile. THAAD was operated by Soldiers from the 32nd AAMDC.

Another short-range ballistic missile was launched from a mobile launch platform located in the broad ocean area northeast of Kwajalein Atoll. The Patriot system, manned by Soldiers of the 94th AAMDC, detected, tracked and successfully intercepted the target with a PAC-3 interceptor.

USS Fitzgerald successfully engaged a low flying cruise missile over water. The Aegis system also tracked and launched an SM-3 Block 1A interceptor against a short-range ballistic missile. However, despite indication of a nominal flight of the SM-3 Block 1A interceptor, there was no indication of an intercept of the SRBM.

FTI-01 was a combined developmental and operational test. Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen from multiple Combatant Commands operated the systems and were provided a unique opportunity to refine operational doctrine and tactics. Program officials continue to assess and evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

Ballistic Missile Defense System programs have completed 56 successful hit-to-kill intercepts in 71 flight test attempts since 2001.

USS Fitzgerald, USS McCampbell Participate in Pacific Eagle 2011

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyers USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85) will join Russian Federation Navy (RFN) forces to conduct Exercise Pacific Eagle 2011 (PE-11) Oct. 13-15.

The exercise is conducted to improve the U.S. Navy and RFN maritime relationship. This exercise consists of a series of maritime activities during two phases: an in-port phase in Guam and an at-sea phase in the Philippine Sea. Events will likely include naval ship maneuvering and communications drills at-sea and various seminars and subject matter exchange discussions. Additionally, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief may be a component of the exercise while in Guam.

Along with the participation of Fitzgerald and McCampbell, U.S. Navy forces include a contingent from Destroyer Squadron 15. In total, approximately 500 U.S. Navy personnel will participate.

The Russian Pacific Fleet and U.S. 7th Fleet have a common understanding and knowledge of a shared working environment at sea. This exercise helps to advance the level of understanding between our Sailors and we hope to be able to continue this process over time.

The United States and Russia share common interests in the Pacific, including weapons of mass destruction counter-proliferation, counter-terrorism, and regional stability. These areas of strategic alignment are the focus of military-to-military cooperation in the future. Events like this are part of building the friendship and respect between the navies of the United States and Russia.

Fitzgerald Concludes SHAREM 163

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Byron C. Linder, Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) completed the Ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Readiness and Evaluation Measurement (SHAREM) 163 exercise Dec. 7, off the coast of Okinawa, Japan.

Fitzgerald; joined by Destroyer Squadron 15 (DESRON) guided-missile destroyers USS Curtis D. Wilbur (DDG 54) and USS Lassen (DDG 82); Seawolf class submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22); Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) destroyers JDS Inazuma (DD 105), JDS Samidare (DD 106), and JDS Sazanami (DD 113); and Oyashio submarine SS600 Mochishio; used the bilateral exercise to focus on developing and evaluating antisubmarine warfare (ASW) tactics and watchstander proficiency, and build on the relationship between the JMSDF and the United States.

Chief Sonar Technician-Surface (SW/IUSS) Patrick Bright, a Versailles, Ky. native and Fitzgerald's CA division LCPO, explained the many opportunities the exercise provided.

"It's an ASW intensive exercise. It gives us the opportunity to test tactics and plans, and get a sample of the environment we can conduct ASW tracking exercises in, so we can get a good picture of what's going on," said Bright.

The exercise also provided the opportunity for the U.S. and JMSDF to observe and learn about the two services' ASW methods. Three JMSDF Sailors from JDS Atago (DDG 177) boarded Fitzgerald to cross-train with Fitzgerald's Sailors.

JMSDF Petty Officer 2nd Class Yukihiro Nakaume, a sonarman aboard Atago, expressed his appreciation to see the exercise from a different perspective.

"It is a great honor to be aboard. I have never been on a United States ship, and it's very interesting for me. The crew is very friendly and kind," Nakaume said. "Our ships have similar systems, but we have different tactics and watch rotations. I would like to learn how to operate many different sonar systems."

The exercise commenced Dec. 3 with a "convergence zone" event, which challenged the watchstanders' abilities to successfully track an undersea target with a known course and speed while maintaining a standoff distance. Four "freeplay" events placed the ships in a wargame setting, tasking the Sailors with searching for submarines or tracking high-value units.

A series of structured events focused on the mechanics of ASW, with identifying, tracking, losing, and relocating the undersea targets, and an "opposed refueling at sea" exercise provided the opportunity for Sailors to protect a high-value target in the form of Military Sealift Command dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7) as it refueled the participants.

Ensign Matthew Hottle, a Seattle native and Fitzgerald's antisubmarine warfare officer, explained the importance of being able to work with real targets and with the JMSDF.

"These events are great training for our people. There's so much we don't get to do on a regular basis, and this is the one exercise that's entirely focused on ASW, and provides us with a lot of rare opportunities," said Hottle. "It's always great to work with the Japanese, and the riders have been very helpful when it comes to communicating and learning about the way they do business."

Fitzgerald is one of seven Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers assigned to DESRON 15, and is permanently forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.

Fitzgerald Arrives for Proliferation Security Exercise Deep Sabre II

By Ensign Bill Morrison, Commander, 7th Fleet Public Affairs

SINGAPORE (NNS) -- The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) arrived in Singapore Oct. 26 for multinational exercise Deep Sabre II, a proliferation security initiative exercise.

Fitzgerald will be participating in the exercise with military and civil agencies from 22 countries to develop maritime interdiction strategies targeting vessels that transport weapons of mass destruction.

The exercise demonstrates the continued cooperation of the international community to counter weapons of mass destruction and promote peace and security on the world's seas.

"Fitzgerald is honored to accept the invitation extended by the Singaporean Navy to participate in this exercise. We are very appreciative of the opportunity to work side by side with navies from around the world to enhance our ability to prevent weapons of mass destruction," said Cmdr. Richard Dromerhauser, Fitzgerald's commanding officer. "This visit reaffirms the sound international commitment to maritime security, and it sends a clear message of strength and unity from the global community in the war on terrorism."

Fitzgerald is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15 and patrols the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility. U.S. 7th Fleet is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets covering 48 million square miles with approximately 60-70 ships, 200-300 aircraft and 40,000 Sailors and Marines assigned at any time.

Fitzgerald Successfully Refuels at Sea

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Bryan Reckard, Fleet Public Affairs Det. Japan
Cmdr. Daniel P. Dusek, commanding officer of Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), looks ahead as his ship maneuvers behind Military Sealift Command underway replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204) awaiting an underway replenishment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nardelito Gervacio)

USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) successfully completed a replenishment at sea (RAS) Dec. 2, while participating in SHAREM 155, a Ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Readiness and Evaluation Measurement exercise in the western Pacific.

According to Boatswain's Mate 1st Class (SW) William Biles, a safety observer, during the two-hour evolution Fitzgerald safely took on 170,000 gallons of diesel fuel marine from fleet replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO 204).

"We bring on about 170,000 to 180,000 gallons of fuel each time we do a RAS and it takes about an hour to an hour and a half," said Biles.

While one of the main goals of the RAS is to refuel the ship, Biles says that safety, especially for less experienced Sailor's is a top priority.

"While on station, new crew members need to pay attention to what's going on at the station, because there's a lot of terminology that people might not understand," said Biles. "If you are new, [you need to] pay attention to the person in front of you."

While Biles is the main safety observer on deck, evolutions as dangerous as a RAS require additional safety observers topside to keep a watchful eye on their shipmates.

Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class (SW) Lindsey Garcia is the petty officer in charge on the forward line and is responsible for the safety of 10 to 12 line handlers at any given time.

"I'm the overall safety observer for the line handlers in my line, making sure that they all pay attention to what they are doing," said Garcia.

As part of the forward-deployed naval forces, Fitzgerald's high operational tempo calls for a RAS every few days to ensure the combat readiness of the ship.

"The ship needs fuel and we have to get the fuel to the ship," said Biles. "This pretty much happens every three days underway, so the crew is pretty experienced at doing it."

Fitzgerald is forward-deployed and operates out of Yokosuka, Japan. Three other U.S Navy Ships operating out of Yokosuka are currently participating in SHAREM 155 as well including USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS Lassen (DDG 82) and USS McCampbell (DDG 85).