The Royal Danish Navy (RDN) frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (F 362) departed the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) May 5, concluding the ship's cooperative deployment in the U.S. 5th and 6th fleet areas of operation.

During the Willemoes' deployment with GHWBCSG, the Danish ship assisted by providing air defense commander capabilities and contributed to maritime security operations in the region while operating with the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77)and the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58).

Initial liaison with Willemoes began in early 2016 with RDN staff members and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 mapping out the path to integration. This was followed by Willemoes leadership participation in the GHWBCSG Warfare Commander's Conference in June and Willemoes' participation, while in port Denmark, in GHWBCSG's Fleet Synthetic Training (FST) Group Commander virtual exercise. Willemoes physically joined forces during the GHWBCSG's composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) in December 2016, the training cycle and deployment provided a unique training opportunity for the U.S. Navy (USN) and RDN to work as international partners, improving interoperability and familiarity between the two maritime forces.

"Looking back at the start of the deployment in the Mediterranean Sea and now in the Arabian Gulf, I am able to conclude that a huge amount of observations has been made, observations that will turn into lessons identified and lessons learned whilst being incorporated into relevant Danish operating procedures," said Cmdr. Bo Overgaard, commanding officer of Willemoes. "What we, the Royal Danish Navy, have learned and gained from being part of [the George H.W. Bush] carrier strike group most likely could not have been achieved anywhere else."

In modern history, the RDN has been a close partner with the USN since the first Gulf War in 1999. The USN and RDN worked together in the past during military exercises and in operations, on several occasions. The deployment marked the first time an RDN ship has participated in a cooperative deployment.

The integration of Willemoes with GHWBCSG demonstrated and improved the Navy's ability to integrate a Danish vessel into a carrier strike group (CSG) while providing both navies with an opportunity to develop and refine operational and tactical issues related to CSG integration, command and control, underway operations, logistic support and sustainment, communications, and other aspects unique to CSG deployments.

"Willemoes integrated seamlessly, executed mission tasking, and provided lethal combat capability to the GHWB Strike Group. She was expertly led, fully manned and trained, and flawlessly executed all tasking just as I expected from a capable and trusted United States ally," said Rear Adm. Kenneth R. Whitesell, commander, Carrier Strike Group Two. "Without hesitation, I would invite Willemoes to be part of any carrier strike group team. They made our force stronger."

Willemoes' successful integration in the strike group was facilitated by having a full-time Danish liaison officer embarked aboard GHWB and an officer from one of the DESRON 22 ships embarked aboard Willemoes.

Ultimately, the cooperative deployment allowed both U.S. and Denmark to evaluate and demonstrate various aspects of the theater plan to build coalition partners as a multi-national force multiplier in the future. The interoperability with Willemoes will contribute to guidelines for future efforts with other partner nations.

GHWBCSG is comprised of the staff of CSG-2; aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77); the nine squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8; Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff; guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Cole (DDG 67), and USS Mahan (DDG 72); Danish guided-missile frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (F 362); and guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Hue City (CG 66).

GHWBCSG is deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations designed to reassure allies and partners, and to preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region.


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