NORTH SEA – The NATO Secretary General (SECGEN) and the NATO Maritime Allied Commander joined the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) Oct. 12 to meet with USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Sailors and observe at-sea flight operations .
Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Vice Adm. Clive Johnstone and General Mike Scaparrotti were accompanied by 28 other distinguished guests and media to witness first-hand one of the U.S. Navy’s largest carrier strike groups operate jointly with NATO counterparts across the North Atlantic region.
“The [Harry S. Truman] brings a tremendous array of power to the security of the alliance as demonstrated today,” said Scaparrotti. “Harry Truman was the U.S. President during the establishment of NATO some 70 years ago. President Truman famously said that ‘We are not only seeking to establish freedom from aggression and from the use of force in the North Atlantic community, but we are also actively striving to promote and preserve peace throughout the world.’ These are words that well reflect NATO's goals today.”
The Danish support ship HDMS Esbern Snare (L17), the Norwegian frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad (F313) and the Portuguese frigate NRP Corte-Real (F332), alongside ships and aircraft of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG), conducted air and surface operations as part of a combined exercise.
Following the operations, the Secretary General and SACEUR held a press conference in Harry S Truman’s hangar bay as the Esbern Snare sailed within 500 yards of the aircraft carrier.
“Thank you Captain Dienna and the crew of the USS Harry S. Truman for hosting us all today,” said Secretary General Stotlenberg. “This ship embodies the naval power of the United States, and its presence [here] demonstrates the strong commitment of the United States to our transatlantic bond.”
The U.S. Navy will further showcase its commitment when it joins nearly sixty other ships from across the Alliance for NATO’s biggest exercise in over 30 years – Trident Juncture 2018.
Currently operating in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, Harry S. Truman will continue to foster cooperation with regional allies and partners, strengthen regional stability, and remain vigilant, agile and dynamic.
For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.
For more news from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/cvn75/.
