Sailors and Marines from the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mitscher (DDG 57), the dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) and the German frigate Hessen (F221) are currently underway participating in Task Force Exercise (TFEX) led by Carrier Strike Group FOUR (CSG 4).

A scenario driven exercise, TFEX serves as the certification exercise for independent deploying ships and is designed to test mission readiness and performance in integrated operations.

"Task Force exercise will test us to the maximum," said Cmdr. Ian Scaliatine, commanding officer of Mitscher. "Together as a team we will need to perform at our best - and I know we will."

CSG-4 will evaluate the ships' performance across 15 mission areas including command and control and maritime security operations.

The German frigate Hessen will be deploying with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group later this year and is participating in the exercise to train with a partner Navy.

"We are looking forward to the exercise and we will perform professional and competent while demonstrating our air defense capabilities," said Cmdr. Olliver Pfenning, Hessen's commanding officer. "As a multimission platform German warship FGS Hessen can provide excellent seamanship to the practices. My crew is well equipped, highly trained and fully motivated to participate in this training event with our allies."

Commanded by Rear Adm. Kenneth Whitesell, CSG-4 is a team of experienced Sailors, Marines, government civilians and reservists, who mentor, train and assess Atlantic Fleet combat forces to forward deploy. CSG-4's experts shape the readiness of Atlantic Fleet CSGs, Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG), Amphibious Ready Groups (ARG) and Independent Deploying ships.

Carrier Strike Group 2, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22, and USS Hue City (CG 66) are also supporting the exercise.

For more news from Carrier Strike Group 4, visit www.navy.mil/.