The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) participated in exercise Atlas Handshake with the Royal Moroccan Navy, Nov. 4-5, 2019.
The training was a bilateral naval surface fire support training evolution between Donald Cook and Moroccan multi-mission frigate Sultan Moulay Ismail (FF 614) on the Aourioura Ordnance Range near Tan Tan, off the coast of Morocco.
"We conducted some great training today with the Royal Moroccan Navy,” said Cmdr. Kelley T. Jones, the commanding officer of the ship. “We definitely learned from one another and strengthened our partnership. I look forward to future opportunities to evolve our interoperability with the Royal Moroccan Navy."
The U.S. routinely practices interoperability and high-end warfare with partners and allies. Multinational training enhances interoperability with partners and allies, allowing us to maintain vigilance to the degree necessary to promote a secure and peaceful region.
“This was a great opportunity to test our combat systems team’s ability to work with other nations,” said Jones. “The Sultan Moulay Ismail’s team was great to work with. Our bridge team and combat systems team were challenged, and really showed the best of their abilities.”
Donald Cook is currently on patrol in support of 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 interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.