The "Mad Foxes" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 5 hosted six members of the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Weapons School (MPRWS) at their current deployment site at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Italy, Feb. 11.

The MPRWS spent one week at Sigonella. During their visit, they presented several briefs on tactical innovations and technology advancements for the P-8A Poseidon and joined the Mad Foxes on operational flights.

The flights focused on routine maritime domain awareness in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. MPRWS also led several discussions based upon VP 5's lessons learned so far during their U.S. 6th Fleet deployment.

Stationed at NAS Jacksonville, the MPRWS mission is to develop and standardize postgraduate training for the maritime patrol and reconnaissance force (MPRF). MPRWS members were eager to observe how VP 5 conducts missions in a forward-deployed environment and complimented VP 5's forward-leaning tactical mindset with valuable knowledge that would elevate the entire MPRF.

"As the recognized community experts, it was great to be able to engage with [MPRWS] in tactical discussion and provide them our lessons learned while operating in a dynamic area of responsibility," said VP 5 Tactics Officer Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Yu-Rank.

VP 5 also conducts operations in U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations from Comalapa, El Salvador.

QUICK FACTS:
- VP 5 is on a dual deployment to Sigonella, Italy and Comalapa, El Salvador.
- VP 5 is deployed to Commander, Task Force 67 out of Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily.
- This is the first deployment for VP 5 to U.S. 6th Fleet with the P-8A.
- U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.