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News
NEWS | Nov. 22, 2017

VP-5 Joins Sweden in Bilateral ASW/ASUW Exercise

By Lt.j.g. Mary Carter Jordan, VP-5 Public Affairs Officer

Sailors assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 5  participated in an Swedish-led warfare exercise Nov. 15-16, 2017. The two-day exercise was designed to fortify combat effectiveness between the U.S. Navy and Swedish naval forces.

Combat Air Crew (CAC) 4 conducted flights off the coast of Gotland Island in the Baltic Sea to demonstrate the P-8A Poseidon's utility in combined anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASUW) operations.

During the first flight of the exercise, CAC-4 assisted Swedish naval forces identify ships in the surrounding area by providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. This phase tested the crew’s ability to gain pertinent information and relay it quickly to the controlling agency.

“It was a great learning experience to see how the Swedish would use our platform to help in their maritime tactics,” said Lt.j.g. Carter Dennis, VP-5 pilot,

The multi-phase exercise concluded with an ASW scenario in which the CAC-4 crew was tasked with tracking a Swedish Gotland-class submarine. After tracking the submarine for three hours, the crew was able to detect and defend against the submarine while being able to fine-tune their tactical skills.

This wasn’t the first time VP-5 worked with Swedish naval forces during an exercise this year. Earlier in March, they participated in a similar exercise Week 713 which also helped strengthen ties and build interoperability.

The “Mad Foxes” of CAC-4 are conducting operations in Aalborg, Denmark, in support of Commander, Task Force 67. VP-5 conducts operations in U.S. 6th Fleet from Sigonella, Italy.

U.S. 6th Fleet, headquarted in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.