#Warfighting: Underwood Resumes Operation Martillo in Caribbean

By Lt. Stephanie Homick, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs

USS UNDERWOOD, At Sea (NNS) -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) resumes patrols to support Operation Martillo in the Caribbean Oct. 1 after participating in the annual multinational exercise UNITAS 2012.

Underwood conducted counter-transnational organized crime (C-TOC) operations supporting Operation Martillo in August, and then diverted to participate in UNITAS in September.

The frigate returned to the western and southern Caribbean Sea to continue C-TOC operations until the ship completes its Southern Seas deployment to U.S. 4th Fleet and returns to homeport of Mayport, Fla., in November.

"Operation Martillo is an important mission for us because it is an opportunity to prevent illegal drugs from reaching the shores of the United States," said Cmdr. Michael Brasseur, executive officer of Underwood. "Our mission is to patrol an area of the Caribbean Sea and to deter and prevent drug traffickers from bringing their products to the U.S."

Operation Martillo (Spanish for 'hammer') is a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus. Led by Joint Interagency Task Force South (JITAF-S), a component of SOUTHCOM, Martillo is a component of the U.S. government's coordinated interagency regional security strategy in support of the White House strategy to combat transnational organized crime and the U.S. Central America Regional Security Initiative.

Fourteen countries are participating in the operation: Canada, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

"This time around we will have the Colombian frigate ARC Antioquia (FM 53) and the British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dauntless (D-33) assisting us in patrolling our designated area," added Brasseur. "These extra assets will increase our chances of success for this mission."

This month's support of Operation Martillo will be the last part of Underwood's final deployment before she is decommissioned in March 2013.

"I think that we will be much more successful this time because we have learned lessons from our first go-around with Operation Martillo and we will use those lessons learned to execute better," said Brasseur. "I have a good feeling that we will make a difference and have a big impact on drug trafficking in the region."

JIATF South is a multiservice, multiagency national task force which conducts counter-illicit trafficking operations and intelligence fusion to detect, monitor, and handoff suspected illicit trafficking targets to law enforcement activities; promotes security cooperation and coordinates country team and partner nation initiatives in order to defeat the flow of illicit traffic.

October is #Warfighting month focusing on Navy Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression on, above, and below the sea.

Underwood Recovers 49 Bales of Drugs from Caribbean Sea

By Lt. Stephanie Homick, U.S. 4th Fleet Public Affairs

USS UNDERWOOD, At Sea (NNS) -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36), recovered 49 bales of narcotics from the Caribbean Sea during Operation Martillo, Aug. 3.

Underwood pursued a "go-fast" speed boat late Tuesday evening, Aug. 2, but it dumped its load before Underwood was able to effect a boarding. A Customs and Border Protection maritime patrol aircraft flying overheard, reported the "go-fast" dumping packages over the side and informed Underwood, who marked the position of the debris field in order to locate the packages in daylight.

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Miguel Aponte, a member of the bridge watch team, spotted the first bale in the water around 8:15 a.m. Underwood Sailors manned the boat deck and loaded a team, including two members of an onboard U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), into a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB). Over the next few hours, Sailors aboard Underwood used binoculars to search the surrounding area for more bales while the RHIB team recovered anything spotted in the water.

"Right off the bat, we just start picking up bales that were floating in our area," said a member of the LEDET. "After that, the ship vectored us in to different sections that they could see from a further distance and then also the helo [helicopter] vectored us in."

An SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Vipers of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light Four Eight Detachment Three (HSL-48.3) launched to assist the search from the air.

"Initially we took off, were given two initial points to go between, searching back and forth using a linear pattern," said Lt. j.g. Lance Herdon, one of the SH-60B pilots that flew the mission. "We got vectored in by the ship after calculating set and drift. We went to that area and began spotting the packages. We called back the position back to the ship and they began directing the RHIB over in that area. We orbited the area and continued to find more packages."

In the end, Underwood recovered approximately 1,225 kilograms of narcotics.

"Going wholesale price is $22,500 per kilo. So estimated with 49 bales and 25 kilos per bale, we estimate about $27.5 million" worth of narcotics recovered today, according to a Naval Criminal Investigative Services (NCIS) Special Agent familiar with the case.

Operation Martillo (Spanish for 'hammer') is a U.S., European, and Western Hemisphere partner nation effort targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along the Central American isthmus.

Led by Joint Interagency Task Force (JITF) South, a component of U.S Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Operation Martillo is a component of the U.S. government's coordinated interagency regional security strategy in support of the White House strategy to combat transnational organized crime and the U.S. Central America Regional Security Initiative. Fourteen countries are participating: Canada, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, the Netherlands, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain,United Kingdom and the United States.

JIATF South is a multiservice, multiagency national task force which conducts counter-illicit trafficking operations and intelligence fusion to detect, monitor, and handoff suspected illicit trafficking targets to law enforcement activities; promotes security cooperation and coordinates country team and partner nation initiatives in order to defeat the flow of illicit traffic.

Underwood is deployed to Central and South America and the Caribbean in support of Southern Seas 2012.

Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

USS Underwood Transits Panama Canal

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stuart Phillips, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs

USS UNDERWOOD, Panama Canal (NNS) -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) transited the Panama Canal in support of Southern Seas 2012, May 6.

The transit began early Saturday evening and spilled over into the early hours of Sunday morning.

"The transit normally takes 10-12 hours to complete," said Quartermaster 3rd Class Joshua Hughes, a native of Detroit, who steered the ship as the master helmsman for part of the transit. "It's a long transit and the times will always vary depending on traffic because there are a variety of vessels that use the canal. Last night's transit moved fairly quickly. Traffic was at a minimum so we were able to get through it in a timely manner."

Hughes has navigated the canal five times, but the novelty has yet to fade.

"If you've done it once, if you've done it a thousand times, it feels the same," said Hughes. "It's the excitement. It's the focus that is required in order to safely navigate a passage like this. Not a lot of people get to do this and I am truly pleased to say I've been able to do it at least once, let alone multiple times, and I hope to do it again."

The meticulous passage of the ship is possible only with the efforts of all crew members aboard the ship.

"Teamwork was essential to our transit, especially due to the length of our transit," said Command Master Chief Michael Bates. "The transit lasted over 11 hours. We didn't pull in until 2 a.m. The ship did a great job of relieving people on time and putting the right people on station."

Transiting the canal is only the beginning for the crew of Underwood as they prepare for UNITAS Pacific, an annual multinational maritime exercise, scheduled to begin May 14.

"The success of this event really set the tone for the deployment in terms of teamwork getting us through an evolution like that," said Bates. "The evolution was pretty flawless. I think that will set us up for success over the next six months."

After completing the transit, the crew of Underwood took on supplies and refueled the ship at Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal.

Underwood is embarked on a six-month deployment to Central and South America and the Caribbean Sea in support of Southern Seas 2012 to engage in multinational naval exercises with partner nations.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

USS Underwood Completes COMTUEX

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Frank J. Pikul, Southern Seas 2012 Public Affairs

USS UNDERWOOD, At Sea (NNS) -- The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Underwood (FFG 36) completed Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMTUEX) April 30 and is deploying to Central and South America and the Caribbean in support of Southern Seas 2012.

The ship participated in events for COMTUEX that simulated various situations, including combat-orientated exercises.

"This was a great opportunity for us to get underway working in a multi-ship, complex warfare environment and set us up very well for success on deployment," said Cmdr. Michael D. Brassuer, USS Underwood executive officer.

The COMPTUEX included a live-fire gun exercise of the ship's weapon systems, simulated missile attacks, small boat attacks, man overboard drills, underway replenishments, and ship boarding training by the visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team. Underwood also sailed in formation with other U.S. Navy ships and practiced evasive maneuvers. These exercises were designed to be as true-to-life as possible.

"It was realistic training," said Brassuer. "I could see by the watch team's reactions that they thought the scenarios were real."

One of the highlights of COMTUEX for Underwood was the VBSS ship boarding exercise. The team boarded a simulated "ship of interest", USNS Hugo (TYL-8201), to search the vessel. They provided medical aid and engineering support during the simulation.

"For COMTUEX, the VBSS team gets ready to be certified so that in case of emergencies, we can board vessels to search for any kind of contraband, such as illegal drugs and firearms," said Electricians Mate 2nd Class Aldo Rodriguez, a member of the VBSS team aboard Underwood. "They just want us to be ready to go whenever we spot a suspicious ship in the area."

Underwood is deploying in support of Southern Seas 2012. Its first exercise will be UNITAS Pacific (UNITAS PAC), an exercise with foreign navies of South America, designed to practice security and stability operations. Crew members will also participate in community relation events while in port and will perform maritime security operations at sea.

Underwood completed COMTUEX to gain qualifications required for its deployment.

"It gave us a chance to come together as a team and get ready for deployment," said Brassuer.

UNITAS, Latin for "unity", is the oldest maritime exercise conducted each year since 1959. The multinational exercise is focused on operating and training together in scenario-based environments, theater security operations, anti-terrorism and anti-narcotic operations. UNITAS also includes live-fire exercises, humanitarian assistance and disaster response training.

U.S. personnel are given the opportunity to work and train side-by-side with sailors of Latin American navies and build relationships. The relationships that develop from this exercise will help foster cooperation and understanding between participating countries.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) support U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.

Mayport-based Frigate Departs on Final Deployment for Southern Seas 2012

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) -- USS Underwood (FFG 36) departed on its final deployment in support of Southern Seas 2012, April 23.

The deployment will begin by participating in Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMTUEX) with the Eisenhower Strike Group as part of their pre-deployment training. The ship and crew will then deploy to the U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) May 2 to conduct Southern Seas 2012. Southern Seas will include the multinational exercises UNITAS Pacific (UNITAS PAC), Silent Forces Exercise (SIFOREX) and UNITAS Atlantic (UNITAS LANT).

"Underwood completed our final basic phase training back in February and we've been working for well over a year in preparation for Southern Seas 2012. As we head out the door we'll finish our integrated phase training with Eisenhower Strike Group COMTUEX, which will be our certifying event allowing us to move out on deployment to Fourth Fleet," Cmdr. Peter T. Mirisola, commanding officer, USS Underwood (FFG 36) said.

Underwood will also support Operation Martillo, a joint, interagency and multi-national collaborative mission among Western Hemisphere and European nations to deny Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) air and maritime access to the littoral regions of the Central American isthmus. Operation Martillo targets narcotics, precursor chemicals, bulk cash, weapons and humans being transported via maritime and air domains.

Southern Seas is an annual collaborative deployment to conduct a variety of exercises, missions and multinational subject matter expert exchanges. The focus is on enhancing interoperability, increase regional stability, and building and maintaining regional relationships with countries throughout the hemisphere through joint, multinational and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

"It is going to be quite a privilege and an honor to go down there. I know the crew's excited. We're going to have a lot of great visits. We're looking forward to the multi-national engagement with our Central and South American and Caribbean nation hosts," Mirisola said.

Formally known as the Partnership of the Americas, Southern Seas gives a distinct name to one of the United States' marquee deployments. This is the seventh such deployment and falls under U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) Partnership of the Americas initiative.

"There's no better way for Underwood to deploy than to support Southern Seas and UNITAS. This is the United States' longest standing annual exercise and the crown jewel of naval exercises for the U.S. Navy. There's no better way to end the ship's service life than to finish with UNITAS deployment," said Mirisola.

Underwood will return to Mayport in November 2012 and be decommissioned in March 2013. The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate was commissioned January 29, 1983 and conducted her maiden deployment in 1985. Underwood participated in numerous counter-narcotics operations in the Caribbean Sea in her 29 years of service to the fleet.

After the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Underwood and her crew deployed immediately to the island and provided critical medical assistance in support of Operation Unified Response.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. 4th Fleet (COMUSNAVSO/C4F) supports U.S. Southern Command joint and combined full-spectrum military operations by providing principally sea-based, forward presence to ensure freedom of maneuver in the maritime domain, to foster and sustain cooperative relationships with international partners and to fully exploit the sea as maneuver space in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American regions.