MARI, Cyprus –
U.S. Navy Divers assigned to Construction Dive Detachment ALFA (CDD/A), a detachment of Underwater Construction Team (UCT) ONE, completed a Cyprus subject matter expert exchange at the Naval Base Lieutenant General Evangelos Florakis in Mari, Cyprus, Dec. 21, 2021.
The divers worked with Cyprus partner units including Cypriot Underwater Demolition Team (SEAL) divers, Cypriot Police divers, Cypriot helicopter units and Cypriot Emergency Response teams.
“This was an excellent opportunity for our nations to work together to better ourselves,” said Lt. j. g. Jacob Wolff, CDD/A officer in charge.
The exchange allowed partner nations the opportunity to enhance capabilities by sharing techniques in underwater searching and recovering. It marked the first exchange between UCT ONE and Cyprus and is a testament to the strength of the U.S.-Cyprus relationship as well as its capacity for further enhancement.
“We are hoping that this leads to more events between UCT and Cyprus diving units,” said Wolff. “For now, we were excited to learn from these units and teach them something as well.”
In April 2021, the CDD CHARLIE team worked alongside the Tunisian Navy Specialized Diver Regiment in the first bilateral dive engagement between the Tunisian Navy and U.S. Navy in nearly a decade. The maritime infrastructure assessments collected engineering data and established condition and capability ratings that will inform future waterfront construction, repair and maintenance plans. The CDD/A team also worked alongside Tunisia to exchange methods in underwater construction and inspection in October.
In July, UCT ONE participated in the annual multinational maritime exercise Sea Breeze 2021, working alongside divers from Ukraine, Georgia, Poland, Latvia and Canada. The divers conducted eight serials and training events in Odesa Harbor in Odesa, Ukraine, including salvage, harbor survey, bottom search, and pier search. Divers accumulated over 80 hours working underwater during the diving operation events with allies and partners.
The UCT CDDs are specially trained and equipped units within the Navy Expeditionary Combat Force that construct, inspect, repair and maintain ports, ocean facilities, underwater systems and general maritime infrastructure. UCT is a key component of port damage repair operations during a disaster or contingency.
U.S. Sixth 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.