Kauffman Completes Southern Seas 2009 Deployment, Returns Home

The guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) is underway with, from left, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Thetis (WMEC 910), the Chilean Navy frigate Almirante Blanco Encalada (FF-15), and the Brazilian Navy frigate BNS Constituicao (F42) during UNITAS Gold, the 50th iteration of the longest-running multinational maritime exercise in the world. Naval units from the U.S. are participating in several realistic tactical training scenarios with maritime forces from Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay off the coast of Florida April 20-May 5. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ron Kuzlik/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) Brandon Shelander, Southern Seas Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) completed a four-month Southern Seas 2009 deployment to Latin America Aug. 5.

"The requirements for this deployment varied greatly. From multinational exercises that stressed anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime interdiction operation (MIO) capabilities, to theater security port visits and receptions, this deployment demanded a diverse set of skills from the Kauffman crew," said Cmdr. Dale W. Maxey, Kauffman's commanding officer.

Kauffman participated in UNITAS Gold, the 50th iteration of the UNITAS exercise, during the first part of the deployment, then moved on to Colombia where ships from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru and the United States participated in Operacion Multinacional Alianza, a post-UNITAS Gold naval exercise hosted by Colombia.

"Through these operations, we continue to get better at our ability to communicate and coordinate security operations," said Maxey. "I was particularly pleased with our interoperability with our partner nations during the multinational exercises."

Kauffman then participated in a bilateral exercise with Peru. For several days, the units conducted integrated ASW exercises off the coast of Lima, Peru.

Kauffman also participated in Team Work South (TWS) 2009 with participants from Brazil, Chile, France, the United Kingdom and the United States. TWS 2009, hosted by the Chilean Navy, is a multinational exercise that includes surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, maritime interdiction operations, littoral operations and anti-piracy events. The exercise is focused on creating a multinational task group that operates together in a multi-threat environment.

Every port visit included military-to-military subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) and community relations (COMREL) projects as well as deliveries of Project Handclasp items. Project Handclasp is a collection of donated items which include medical and hygiene supplies delivered around the world by the U.S. military.

"This is all part of a dual humanitarian aid project," said Lt. Cmdr Jose Molina, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 chaplain, who was the lead organizer for the events. "The first part is where we go to a school or a designated area within the community and do light repairs. The other part is Project Handclasp donations. What we're doing here is all about being partners and helping each other out. It's a great experience, not only for me, but for our Sailors to come ashore, roll up their sleeves and lend a hand."

Kauffman completed the four-month Southern Seas 2009 deployment in support of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)'s Partnership of the Americas strategy.

Southern Seas focuses on working with partner nations in the region conducting exercises, military-to-military engagements and theater security cooperation engagements to enhance interoperability. This year's deployment included Kauffman, USS Doyle (FFG 39), USS Ford (FFG 54). Doyle is scheduled to continue the deployment for two more months. Southern Seas is executed by DESRON 40 as Commander, Task Group 40.0.

HSL-42, USS Kauffman Maritime Operations Enhance Regional Security

By Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class J.T. Bolestridge

Operations Specialist 1st Class Daniel Elliot evaluates a tactical image in the combat information center of the guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59) during an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise with the Chilean navy. The ASW exercises were conducted off the coast of northern Chile supporting Partnership of the Americas 2008. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class J.T. Bolestridge (Released)

USS Kauffman, At Sea (NNS) -- The guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman (FFG-59); Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42 (HSL-42), Detachment 7; and the U.S. Coast Guard completed maritime interdiction operations focusing on the interruption of narco-terrorist activities in Caribbean waters Aug. 24 – Sept. 13.

Sailors and Coast Guardsmen on board Kauffman worked closely with Joint Interagency Task Force South (JAITF-South) to conduct counter illicit trafficking operations. JAITF-South is a multi-service, multi-agency joint task force of the U.S. armed forces and was established in 1989 to promote security cooperation and coordinate country team and partner nation initiatives to defeat the flow of illicit traffic.
Kauffman Operations Officer Lt. James Wright said the tasking focused directly on that mission and helped protect partner nations as well as the United States.

"The tasking here focused on the interdiction and interruption of narco-trafficking," said Wright. "Many partner nations in the Caribbean suffer from the effects of narco-trafficking."

HSL-42, Det. 7 played a key role throughout the operations. Lt. Cmdr. Brian Reardon, the HSL-42, Det. 7 officer in charge (OIC), said his Sailors have worked day and night in support of counter narco-terrorism (CNT) operations.

"Our guys have been flying two or three, three-hour flights per day in support of CNT operations," said Reardon. "We use our sensor suite to provide a complete nautical picture up to 150 nautical miles away from Kauffman. Once targets are detected on radar we are able to visually identify them, even at night, using forward looking infra red (FLIR) camera and night vision devices."

Reardon added that the greatest challenge and success that HSL-42, Det. 7 faced during the operations was the maintenance and logistics needed to operated in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Area of Focus (AOF).

"The 16 enlisted maintainers that we deploy with have done an outstanding job keeping our aircraft, Proud Warrior 426, ready to fly while working in very hot and challenging conditions," said Reardon.

"CNT operations have been a great opportunity for us to showcase the unique capabilities that a light airborne multi purpose system (LAMPS) helicopter detachment brings to the table," said Reardon. "This taste of "real world" operations shows that when working together with its host ship, a LAMPS helicopter is a force multiplier that is vital to CNT operations."

USS Kauffman and Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 42 are assigned to Task Group 40.0, and are currently deployed along with USS Farragut (DDG-99) in support of Partnership of the Americas 2008 (POA 08). Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 40 Commodore, Capt. Rudy Laco, who commands Task Group 40.0, said that the Sailors on board Kauffman made the POA vision a reality.

"The interoperability and the success of the interdiction operations were just what we envisioned when we planned for Partnership of the Americas," said Laco. "As with any operation at sea, it's the Sailors on board who take our vision and turn it into visible and impacting results."

POA 08 operations are being held from April to October throughout South America, Central America, and the Caribbean. POA 08 emphasizes interoperability and cooperation between U.S. and partner nation's maritime forces through a variety of exercises and events.