PRESTWICK, Scotland –
The Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 Tridents sent a detachment of 19 Sailors to Prestwick, Scotland, to participate in Exercise Joint Warrior 19-1, March 28-April 9, 2019.
Joint Warrior is a biannual exercise designed and led by the Joint Tactical Exercise Planning Staff in the United Kingdom. The exercise is intended to improve interoperability between allied and partner navies to prepare participants for a role in joint maritime combined operations.
“The challenges we face today are unprecedented and cannot be conquered by any nation alone,” said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Richards, officer in charge of the detachment and VP-26 tactical coordinator. “This exercise is the perfect environment for the nations and the militaries of NATO to come together, to test our collective mettle, and to affirm to our willingness to defend each other when the time comes.”
The two-week exercise brought together more than 10,000 military personnel from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Trident detachment was among the 710 U.S. military and civilian participants.
“Being a part of such a big exercise was a great experience,” said Lt. William Zapala, VP-26 instructor pilot. “Operating with so many allies, especially when the exercise coincided with the 70th anniversary of NATO, highlighted the importance of our ability to work together through complex mission scenarios.”
The Trident detachment’s Joint Warrior participation concluded a successful 6th Fleet deployment for VP-26. They returned to their home duty station of Naval Air Station Jacksonville on April 10.
“Our ability to quickly and seamlessly integrate with our NATO allies has been pivotal to our success over the past six months,” said Richards. “Participating in Joint Warrior was the perfect way to end our deployment in support of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.”
U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered 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.
For more news and information from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.c6f.navy.mil.