The U.S. Coast Guard announced completion of search and rescue exercises with Italy's Coast Guard in the Tyrrhenian Sea near Naples, Italy, on Monday.
The interoperability exercises between the two NATO partners involved the Legend-class national security cutter USCGC Hamilton, which is deployed in the Mediterranean Sea area with the U.S. Navy's 6th Fleet.
The ship left Puerto Rico in early April for a two-week transit of the Atlantic Ocean, indicative of a new U.S. Navy/Coast Guard joint strategy emphasizing the law enforcement operations of the Coast Guard.
The ship arrived at the Naples naval base on April 20.
"The Hamilton's presence in Sixth Fleet affirms our commitment to leverage the capabilities of the Naval Service to integrate all-domain naval power," said Vice Adm. Gene Black, commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet, at the time. "The Coast Guard's mission reinforces and strengthens the maritime security capabilities for many nations in Europe and Africa."
The weekend operation ended with the ship's transit to the Ionian Sea, east of the Italian mainland, for cross-deck flight operations with the Italian Navy, a Coast Guard statement said on Monday.
"Our organizations share several competences in the strategic environment that are important in both the national and international realm," Vice Adm. Antonio Basile of the Italian Coast Guard. "These include search and rescue operations, marine environment protection, and control of the sea."
