The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Hue City (CG 66), and Ukrainian auxiliary ship Balta (U811), conducted visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) training during exercise Sea Breeze 2017, July 13.

VBSS is one of the many missions that Hue City routinely conducts while on deployment. The training exercise during Sea Breeze consisted of the Hue City VBSS boarding team approaching and boarding Balta. Balta played the role of a non-compliant vessel, allowing Hue City Sailors to demonstrate the techniques and maneuvers necessary during such a scenario.

"The boarding event between Ukrainian vessel Balta and the USS Hue City boarding team was a huge success," said Lt. j.g. Matthew G. Huetson, a boarding officer aboard Hue City. "My boarding team benefited tremendously from this event. Exercise Sea Breeze afforded us the opportunity to demonstrate, practice and maintain our proficiency in various boarding techniques with the Ukrainians in a realistic VBSS scenario."

VBSS is a critical part of maritime security operations, ensuring that the free flow of commerce remains intact throughout all the world's waterways.

Exercise Sea Breeze is an annual recurring exercise that focuses on a variety of warfare areas to include maritime interdiction operations, air defense, anti-submarine warfare, damage control tactics, search and rescue, and amphibious warfare.

Following exercise Sea Breeze, Hue City will continue to conduct maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG).

GHWBCSG is comprised of the staff of Carrier Strike Group 2, Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), the nine squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer Squadron 22 staff, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG 58) and USS Truxtun (DDG 103), and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and Hue City.

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