The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) joins Charles de Gaulle Strike Group, Feb. 9, 2020, for joint operations and strengthening the partnership between the U.S. and France.
They are operating together in eastern Mediterranean in the frame of Chammal operation, Inherent Resolve, and the fight against ISIS.
French navy and U.S. navy often work together, either in trainings or in operations, and they reached a high level of interoperability, which allows them to act together in the same operations' theaters.
“Joining the French Navy in this international partnership is an excellent opportunity to learn from each other and enhance our collective readiness,” said Cmdr. John John, commanding officer of USS Ross. “Our ability to seamlessly integrate into the task force is a key step in building future capability.”
John visited the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle on Feb. 10, to officially formalize the participation of the Ross in the carrier strike group. This visit was also the occasion for both navies to coordinate and exchange about the common objectives to achieve.
Ross, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting a routine patrol to support U.S. national security interests in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allied and inter-agency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.