Royal Danish frigate HDMS Peter Willemoes (F 362) joined the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWBCSG) for their scheduled 2017 deployment in the U.S. 6th and 5th fleet areas of operation, Feb. 9.

The deployment marks the first time a Royal Danish navy (RDN) ship has participated in a cooperative deployment.

Willemoes joined GHWBCSG for its Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) in December. During COMPTUEX, the units tested their at-sea interoperability and operational readiness through cooperative efforts within GHWBCSG.

The deployment will serve to demonstrate and evaluate various aspects of the theater engagement plan to build coalition partners as a multi-national force multiplier.

Cmdr. Kristian Haumann, commanding officer of Willemoes, visited with the staffs of GHWBCSG and Destroyer Squadron 22 (DESRON 22) aboard aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Feb. 13.

"It is great to have HDMS Willemoes rejoin the GHWBCSG for deployment," said Commander, Carrier Strike Group 2 Rear Adm. Kenneth R. Whitesell. "Commander Haumann and his crew were instrumental to us achieving certification for deployment during Composite Training Unit Exercise. As a team, we've seen the most difficult scenarios for a warfighter to handle, and his team performed flawlessly. We are proud to deploy alongside our close friends from Denmark; they make the strike group stronger."

Willemoes is scheduled to remain with GHWBCSG through May.

"We are pleased to be fully integrated with George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group and Destroyer Squadron 22 for this cooperative deployment which will build and strengthen our capabilities and interoperability with the U.S. Navy," said Haumann.

The integration of Willemoes with GHWBCSG is intended to demonstrate and improve the U.S. Navy's ability to integrate an RDN vessel into a CSG. This provides both navies with an opportunity to develop and refine operational and tactical issues related to CSG integration, command and control, underway operations, logistical support and sustainment, communications, and other aspects unique to CSG deployments.

GHWBCSG is comprised of the staff of CSG-2; George H.W. Bush; the nine squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8; Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 staff, guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG 58) and USS Truxtun (DDG 103), and Peter Willemoes; and Mayport-based guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Hue City (CG 66).

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

For more news from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), visit www.navy.mil/.