MANAMA, Bahrain –
Guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) completed a three-day port visit to Berenice, Egypt, Feb. 7.
Crewmembers visited Egypt’s newest naval base on the Red Sea, reflecting U.S. 5th Fleet’s strong relationship with the Egyptian Navy.
“Making a port call at one of the Egyptian Navy’s newest facilities provided a fantastic opportunity for the crew of USS Jason Dunham to meet face-to-face with their Egyptian counterparts as we work to promote maritime security in the Red Sea,” said Cmdr. Michael Kiser, Jason Dunham’s commanding officer.
While ashore, Sailors reconnected with friends and family members back home through video chat while preparing to participate in training at sea for International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express 2022. The Egyptian Navy leads one of four geographical combined task forces during the exercise.
“The Egyptian Navy displays incredible precision and professionalism in all they do,” said Kiser. “We are looking forward to the at-sea phase of the exercise where we will continue to development our ability to work together and promote regional maritime security.”
The ship departed Mayport, Florida in December with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and entered Middle East region in January where it is currently operating independently in support of U.S. 5th Fleet.
The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles of water and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse is comprised of 21 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.