Phoenix Express 07
Patuxent provides partnership platform

USNS Patuxent refuels Gaziantep, a Turkish warship that participated with Patuxent in Exercise Phoenix Express 2007. Gillian Brigham, photo

By Gillian Brigham
SEALOGEUR Public Affairs

When mariners sign up for a job with Military Sealift Command, they can reasonably expect to encounter certain underway tasks like manning an underway replenishment station, swabbing the deck, maintaining ship equipment or standing a bridge watch. What they may not realize is that building partnerships with U.S. allies is a big, albeit unnamed, part of their job description.

The crew of MSC fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent showcased its diplomatic skills during the April 10-24 multilateral military Exercise Phoenix Express 2007 in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean – primarily in the areas of Rota, Spain, and the Gulf of Cadiz.

USNS Patuxent honors the victims of the Virginia Tech shootings by displaying the school's flag. The tragedy hit home for members of Patuxent's crew. Civil service master Capt. Mike Flanagan's wife and daughter attended the university and Able Seaman Mike Kiernan, a 1988 civil engineering graduate, made the flag in the ship's sail locker in remembrance of those who had fallen. “It turns out there were naval personnel on both USS Nassau and USS Kaufman who had kids at Tech,” said Flanagan. Nassau and Kaufman were two of the ships Patuxent refueled April 20. “Patuxent flying the flag meant a lot to them.” Gillian Brigham, photo

Phoenix Express is designed to strengthen U.S. and NATO partnerships with North Africa. Eleven nations – Algeria, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States – participated in a challenging training agenda that included maritime interdiction operations, search and rescue scenarios and underway re-fueling operations.

"Strengthening regional maritime partnerships allows us to address potential conflicts before they start, and awareness is the first step," said Rear Adm. Jeff Fowler, U.S. 6th Fleet Deputy Commander. "We are committed to enhancing the awareness and maritime capability of our North African partners to help create an environment that is inhospitable to maritime criminals, extremists and terrorists."

The exercise kicked off in Rota with a few days of in-port training for the nations, ships and thousands of personnel involved. During this training, Patuxent's crew worked hand-in-hand with Moroccan Navy ship Hassen II, to explain the ins and outs of the underway refueling process.

"From what we could gather, the Moroccans had never done an underway replenishment with a U.S. ship before and were a bit nervous," said Cargo Mate Chris Cook.

Patuxent and Hassen II swapped a number of crew members while in Rota in order to familiarize the Moroccans with the underway refueling equipment and process.

"It was nice to see that the MSC oiler was looked upon as the ‘dean of unrep,' as the captain of Hassen II said," continued Cook.

Once out at sea in Spain's Bay of Cadiz and along the North African coast, Patuxent was used as a platform for boarding exercises.

Algerian sailors conduct maritime interdiction operations aboard Patuxent during Phoenix Express. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Steven Harbour

"Patuxent was boarded more than a dozen times by maritime interdiction teams," said Cook. "Some boarded by small boats. Others boarded by fast roping, down from a helicopter. This involves a helicopter hovering over the flight deck while personnel slide down a large rope to the ship – all while the helo is 50 feet in the air and the ship they are landing on is rolling and pitching."

During the final days of the exercise, Patuxent refueled seven ships from seven nations in a single day – a significant workload for the crew that, nonetheless, handled it enthusiastically.

"To see so many different nations working together so seamlessly is really quite amazing," said Third Mate Chris Cotti. "The event was planned so well that everything went off without a hitch."

Able Seaman Alex Footman agreed. "This exercise really makes me feel like I am contributing to the war on terrorism," said Footman. "It's not your average desk job which is part of what makes it so fun."