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SLIDESHOW | images | 220929-N-UD469-1032 WASHINGTON (September 29, 2022) — Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday meets with Commander of the Romanian Naval Forces Rear Adm. Mihai Panait at the Pentagon for an office call, Sept. 29. The leaders discussed regional stability and maritime security, allied cooperation efforts, as well as modernization and deterrence. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Amanda Gray/released)

WASHINGTON (NNS) – Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday met with the Commander of the Romanian Naval Forces Rear Adm. Mihai Panait at the Pentagon for an office call, Sept. 29.

The leaders discussed regional stability and maritime security, allied cooperation efforts, as well as modernization and deterrence.

“My discussions with Rear Adm. Panait were very productive and focused on future operations,” said Gilday. “The U.S. and Romania have a shared commitment to promoting safety and stability in the Black Sea, and the Romanian Naval Forces are an active contributor to maritime security operations there, as well as an important partner throughout the region. The U.S. Navy will continue to operate alongside our Romanian Allies.”

The U.S. Navy and Romanian Naval Forces regularly operate together. Most recently, both navies participated in the Bulgarian exercise Breeze alongside Allies and partners Albania, Belgium, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Romania hosts U.S. Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System Romania (USAAMDSRO), located aboard Naval Support Facility Deveselu, in Deveselu, Romania. USAAMDSRO is under the operational control of the U.S. Navy’s Sixth Fleet based in Naples, Italy, and is part of the European Phased Adapted Approach, which protects European NATO Allies and U.S. deployed forces in the region. This land-based missile defense facility is designed to detect, track, engage, and destroy ballistic missiles in flight outside the atmosphere. Its technology is nearly identical to and works in coordination with the systems used on the four forward-deployed Aegis destroyers stationed in Rota, Spain.

Panait attended the U.S.-led 2021 International Seapower Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island, and will see Gilday again in Venice, Italy, next month for the Trans-Regional Seapower Symposium.

This was their first official meeting.