The US Navy’s Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Taylor (FFG 50) has participated in a bilateral underway engagement in the Black Sea with the Turkish Navy’s TCG Turgutries (F-241).
The exercise was aimed at improving maritime capabilities and reassuring Nato allies of the US’ commitment to the alliance and security in the region.
It involved tactical manoeuvring exercises, a detect-to-engage (DTE) scenario and a simulated attack on the Cutlass 471-Taylor’s MH-60R Sea Hawk Helicopter.
Deployed in a multi-mission role in the US 6th Fleet area of operations, USS Taylor is tasked with search and rescue activities, humanitarian missions, bilateral and multilateral training missions, as well as support for Nato operations and deployments across the region.
USS Taylor has recently been re-commissioned to support maritime security operations and theatre security cooperation efforts, following repair works on its damaged propeller hub assembly.
With a full load displacement of 4,100t and a maximum speed of over 28k, the vessel can also carry out activities including establishing and improving cooperation, and mutual training and interoperability with regional partner nations and Nato allies.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, the US 6th Fleet, along with coalition, joint, interagency and other partners, performs a full range of maritime security operations and theatre security cooperation missions to bolster security and stability in Europe and Africa.
Image: USS Taylor (FFG 50) and the TCG Turgutries (F-241) during the tactical manoeuvring exercises. Photo: Courtesy of the US Navy by Lt. j.g. David Hancock.
