Off the coast of Virginia
The conversation on the bridge of the American destroyer Laboon on Thursday rang with French, Russian and English with a British snap.
The day's lesson - communication.
Four warships and several hundred sailors from France, Russia and Great Britain joined U.S. forces this week for a series of exercises off the Virginia and North Carolina coasts aimed at forging better relationships and operations among navies.
Royal Navy Rear Adm. Alan Massey said the five-day exercise - focused on basic maritime skills and communications - will help provide security and safety in several real-world settings.
"We're far better doing this as a team," he said.
The annual event, which began Monday with a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Station, is being held for the first time in the States. The training is held at sea and aboard four ships: the French frigate La Fayette, the Russian destroyer Admiral Chabanenko, Royal Navy frigate Portland, and the Laboon.
The exercises mimic actual situations - maritime interdictions, pirate attacks, and peace support missions - faced by naval forces around the globe. Officials also said the exercise furthers the goal of Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. chief of naval operations, to create greater cooperation among foreign countries to create a virtual 1,000-ship navy.
The navies often operate together in task forces, particularly in the Indian Ocean, Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea.
Capt. John Gelinne, destroyer squadron commander, said the exercise has allowed the navies to understand each other's capabilities and limits. It's been a valuable training regimen for the sailors, he said.
"We use these operations to hone our skills," he said.
It also served as a cultural exchange, as a few sailors have been stationed aboard foreign ships.
Lt. j.g. Alexander Busch, a graduate of the French Naval Academy, is on a two-month deployment to the States aboard the La Fayette. He said the ships share many traits, although he had to adjust to one custom - Navy chow comes an hour earlier than the French noon serving, he said.
But he had no complaints about the chow. On the U.S. ship, "I was lucky to get burgers," he said.
Russian Capt. 1st Rank Alexey Strelnikov, a veteran of both the Soviet and Russian navies, said he always dreamed of boarding an American ship. This week, he spent three nights on the Laboon.
With an interpreter by his side, Strelnikov has witnessed his former American adversaries working in tandem with his Russian destroyer.
"I met real professionals," he said, "real sailors and real people in love with their ship."
