Visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team members aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) prepared for an upcoming deployment as they carried out a boarding exercise aboard Training Support Vessel Narragansett (TSV 4), Sept. 29.

The object of the training was to better prepare the team for real-world operations.

"We have already gone through the basic phase, which gives the team baseline training for how to accomplish the VBSS warfare area," said Lt. j.g. Samir Shaikh, Mahan's VBSS boarding officer. "This advanced area of training puts us as close as possible to real-life operations that we may encounter on deployment."

The exercise had the team board Narragansett and search for evidence of piracy and illicit cargo, as well as search for a suspect pirate who may have stowed away aboard the ship.

"The VBSS team has a few missions, to include counterpiracy, maritime interception, intelligence collection, and approach and assist, to ensure free trade routes are kept open and can be safely navigated," Shaikh said.

"They did well," said Paul Fahrenbach, an assessor aboard Narragansett. "The search was conducted well and the team had good cover coming up ladders. Throughout the ship, tactics were good and there were no injuries."

Fahrenbach readily admitted it can be hard to get ready for a VBSS exercise.

"There is never enough training for the team; they don't get the repetitions they need or the ability to go out on other types of vessels," he explained. "You can only train so much on your own ship."

Shaikh appreciated the chance to improve the VBSS team and the ship's skills.

"Training to realistic scenarios tests the ship's ability to decide and act on a moment's notice," said Shaikh. "It's always a great experience to watch the ship come together to accomplish the mission."

Mahan is conducting routine training and operations in preparation for an upcoming deployment with the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group.

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