WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th March, 2021) US and Israeli navy ships on Monday joined together to patrol Israel's borders in the Mediterranean Sea, the US 6th Fleet said in a statement.
The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Monterey participated in the patrol together with the Israeli Sa'ar 4.5 corvettes.
"The Israeli Navy, alongside our American counterparts, undertook a successful patrol to ensure the safety and security of Israel's maritime borders," the 6th fleet quoted Commander Baruch Haviv from the Israel Defense Force Navy as saying.
The 6th Fleet explained that the joint patrols allow the allies to enhance interoperability through communication and command and control scenarios. The ships' proximity also enables a cross deck meeting of commanding officers, who complied with COVID-19 protocols, it added.
Monterey is part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group and homeported in Norfolk, Virginia. The ship departed on deployment February 18 with the rest of the strike group.
