By Ensign Ashley Wyckoff, USS De Wert Public Affairs
AARHUS, Denmark (NNS) -- USS De Wert (FFG 45) pulled into port June 1, marking the beginning of Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2007 for the Mayport, Fla.-based frigate.
In addition to dining on Danish cuisine at Restaurant Koch and museum-hopping at the ARoS Aarhus Kunstmuseum, the three-day port visit will serve as the starting line of the annual international multi-ship exercise.
BALTOPS 2007 is a multiphase exercise under the command of Carrier Strike Group 2’s Rear Adm. Michael C. Vitale, consisting of in-port events, at-sea serialized training events, and a coordinated scenario exercise designed to develop interoperability in execution of a peacekeeping mission. This combined maritime and land exercise will take place in the Baltic Sea, with the goal of promoting mutual understanding, confidence, cooperation, and interoperability among forces and personnel of participating nations.
This year’s participants include the United States, Denmark, Germany, Russia, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Latvia, France, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
After the exercise, De Wert is scheduled a four-day port visit in Kiel, Germany, where the officers and crew will have the opportunity to experience the annual “Kiel Week.”
De Wert will return to Mayport at the beginning of July, and will deploy later in the month to conduct counter-narcotic operations.
