Category: US Navy

This bilateral exercise portrayed the interoperability and cooperation between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF, showcasing Santa Fe and the JMSDF submarine’s capability to work together while underway in the Indo-Pacific.

“We enjoy a strong bond with our dear partners and friends in the Japanese Submarine Force,” said Rear Adm. Lincoln Reifsteck, commander, Submarine Group 7 (CSG 7). “This submarine exercise is just one of dozens of operations our combined forces are planning or executing day in and day out. We take every opportunity to enhance the integration of our undersea forces, reaffirming our commitment to a shared vision of peace and prosperity for our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region.”

SUBEX 25-1 was a two-day exercise conducted in the vicinity of Yokosuka between the U.S. Navy and JMSDF, in order to make significant advancements in the joint submarine capabilities and operations. Exercises like this bolster the U.S. and JMSDF momentum in critical undersea warfare and mutual defense.

Both submarine forces continue to work together and progress every day to seamlessly interoperate with each other. This dedication to mutual understanding and shared values of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific reflects the steadfast bonds between the two silent services.

Santa Fe, homeported in San Diego, California, and assigned to Submarine Squadron 11, is conducting routine operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations.

CSG 7 directs forward-deployed, combat capable forces across the full spectrum of undersea warfare throughout the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Arabian Sea.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Group 7, visit www.csp.navy.mil/csg7/

“It is an honor and a privilege to leave our footprint in the Dominican Republic,” said Capt. Grace Key, commanding officer, Medical Treatment Facility aboard Comfort. “From the medical site and community relations, to the repairs the Seabees will make to the facilities, we will strengthen our partnership with the people of the Dominican Republic.”

Comfort and Dominican medical professionals will work side-by-side to provide medical care to the community of Puerto Plata. By working together and exchanging knowledge, the Dominican Republic and partners in the region can maintain regional stability as a team and work collectively in the event of natural disasters, medical catastrophes, or regional conflict.

“Throughout Continuing Promise, the clinical staff and personnel have welcomed us with open arms at every port visit,” said Lt. j.g. Althea Caraballo, the Puerto Plata medical site assistant officer in charge. “I am excited to be in Dominican Republic and very inspired by our partnerships and the opportunity to expand our professional and cultural horizons.”

Medical care during the Dominican Republic mission stop will be provided at Polideportivo, Puerto Plata and will include services in adult medicine, pediatrics, dental, optometry, women’s health, dermatology, cardiology, physical therapy, nutrition, preventative medicine, radiology, and pharmacy.

“This mission is a valuable opportunity to deepen cooperation between the United States and the Dominican Republic, particularly in the areas of security and humanitarian assistance,” said Lt. Col. Lowell D. Krusinger, senior defense official/defense attaché, U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo. “We’re proud to see U.S. and Dominican medical professionals working shoulder to shoulder aboard the USNS Comfort, including seven Dominican providers who are lending their expertise to benefit communities across six countries on the ship’s tour.”

Additionally, Comfort’s medical personnel will conduct subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) with Dominican health professionals, to include tactical combat casualty care (TCCC) and round tables on preventative medicine, nutrition, and wound care. U.S. Army veterinarians embarked aboard Comfort from the 248th Medical Detachment Veterinary Service Support will conduct a dairy farming SMEE and K-9 tactical causality combat care.

This visit marks the sixth Continuing Promise visits the Dominican Republic and the fifth visit from Comfort. The last time Comfort visited the Dominican Republic was during Continuing Promise 2022, where the medical team treated 4,435 patients at sites in Santo Domingo and Azua, as well as conducted 87 surgeries aboard Comfort.

“I am excited to be here as we bring the same service offered to other countries to my home country,” said Dominican Republic 1st Lt. Luiz Rameriez, doctor of obstetrics and gynecology embarked aboard Comfort. “I am excited for the U.S. service members to tour our facilities and to see how we can improve and impact the overall health of the population.”

The CP25 mission in Dominican Republic also includes a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HA/DR) SMEE and a table-top exercise with local responders. Sailors aboard Comfort will also support the region through a variety of community relations events to include a beach clean-up and performances from the U.S. Fleet Forces band “Unchartered Waters.”

“This mission is a blessing, there are people not as fortunate to receive advanced medical care and we are able to provide it while we are here,” said Hospitalman Joseclaudia Garcia, a food service associate assigned to Comfort with Dominican heritage. “The Dominican people will really feel very appreciated that we get to share these engagements with them. I am very excited my fellow service members will get to experience my culture first hand!”

CP25 marks the 16th mission to the region since 2007 and the eighth aboard Comfort. The mission will foster goodwill, strengthen existing partnerships with partner nations, and encourage the establishment of new partnerships among countries, non-federal entities, and international organizations.

U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet supports U.S. Southern Command’s joint and combined military operations by employing maritime forces in cooperative maritime security operations to maintain access, enhance interoperability, and build enduring partnerships in order to enhance regional security and promote peace, stability and prosperity in the Caribbean, Central and South American region.

Learn more about USNAVSOUTH/4th Fleet news and photos, visit facebook.com/NAVSOUS4THFLT, https://www.fourthfleet.navy.mil/, X – @ NAVSOUS4THFLT, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-naval-forces-southern-command-u-s-4th-fleet

 

Exercise Sea Breeze 25-2 officially concluded following two weeks of multinational mine countermeasure operations in the waters off the United Kingdom’s southern coast July 11, 2025. Naval forces from 14 nations, including NATO allies and partners, demonstrated coordination and enhanced interoperability in a dynamic maritime environment.

From June 30 to July 11, participating forces from Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Georgia, Greece, Latvia, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States conducted joint mine hunting operations, dive and salvage missions, explosive ordnance disposal, and the deployment of cutting-edge robotic and autonomous systems (RAS).

The culminating demonstration showcased a unified application of these capabilities, reinforcing the collective strength and cohesion of participating nations in high-intensity, multi-domain scenarios.

“The U.S. Navy’s mission is to keep the seas open. Mines restrict that. Our MCM force is small, so we rely heavily on partners and allies. These exercises ensure we can interoperate and conduct mine countermeasure operations together,” said Capt. William Williams, the commodore of Mine Countermeasures Group 6.

At the center of the exercise was a fully integrated, combined headquarters that executed advanced staff planning, targeting operations, and command-and-control across a coalition force. The inclusion of RAS, electronic warfare integration, and real-time situational awareness significantly expanded the participating nations’ capacity to operate across domains.

This year, Exercise Sea Breeze 2025 occurred in two iterations, Sea Breeze 25-1 and 25-2. The first iteration, Sea Breeze 25-1, was hosted by the Romanian Armed Forces at Smardan Range, Romania, June 1-20, 2025.

Since 1997, Exercise Sea Breeze has brought together Black Sea nations, NATO Allies and partners together to train and operate with NATO members in the pursuit of building increased capabilities. Exercise Sea Breeze 2025 is an annual multinational maritime exercise, involving sea, land, and air components co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine to enhance interoperability and capability among participating forces.

Commander, U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allies, international partners, and other U.S. government departments and agencies to advance U.S. national interests, security, and stability in Europe and Africa.