North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military representatives from the European theater visited the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), flagship of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG), May 7.

Rear Adm. Roy Kitchener, U.S. Deputy Military Representative for NATO, and representatives from Finland, Germany, Greece, Kingdom of Denmark, Poland, Republic of Bulgaria, Spain, and the United Kingdom landed aboard Abraham Lincoln in a C-2A Greyhound, attached to the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40.

The purpose of the visit was to familiarize senior officials with U.S. Navy carrier operations and enhance partnerships among NATO allies. The guests toured the ship, visiting spaces such as the hangar bay, bridge and primary flight control, in addition to observing flight operations on the flight deck.

Enhancing interoperability among allies to enhance maritime security and deter threats is an essential focus of the Abraham Lincoln CSG deployment in the region.

“Cooperation with our allies is very important,” Rear Adm. John Wade, commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, said. “We all have interests in peace and stability in this critical and important region. Working together gives us increased capacity and is a deterrent in and of itself.”

The Abraham Lincoln CSG is deployed in support of maritime security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12, Destroyer Squadron 2, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7; as well as the Àlvaro de Bazàn-class frigate ESPS Méndez Núñez (F 104).

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