GAETA, Italy - The U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) departed Gaeta, Italy, March 8.

The flagship is returning to the Viktor Lenac Shipyard in Rijeka, Croatia, for critical Command and Control, Computers, Communications, Combat Systems and Intelligence (C5I) repairs.

"This is a great opportunity to get back to Croatia to take care of routine work. The Mount Whitney crew is motivated and determined to take advantage of their time in the shipyard to get ready for several important assessments and inspections coming in the near future," said Lt. Mark Reddy, Electronic Materials Officer, USS Mount Whitney

The Mount Whitney will refurbish its Ship's Service Electrical Generators, and complete scheduled (C5I) repairs.

Mount Whitney, forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners. The civil service mariners perform navigation, deck, engineering and supply service operations, while military personnel support communications, weapons systems and security. It is one of only two seaborne Joint Command Platforms in the U.S. Navy, both of which are forward deployed.

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