The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham and Egyptian Navy frigate ENS Alexandria conducted joint exercises in the Red Sea during the International Maritime Exercise/Cutlass Express (IMX/CE) 2022.
The largest multinational training exercise in the Middle East, IMX/CE 2022 involved more than 60 nations and international organizations. The aim of the event was to enhance cooperation and interoperability in strengthening maritime security and stability.
The US vessel arrived in Egypt’s Berenice Naval Base for a pre-sail conference on February 6, with the crew of the two ships meeting and attending operational briefs.
“Conducting operations with our Egyptian partners was a great exercise in interoperability that allowed for planning teams from Jason Dunham to work directly with planning teams from the Alexandria,” Jason Dunham Assistant Operations Officer Lt. Katie Saporita said in a US Navy statement.
“It was a real treat to work alongside passionate officers from the U.S. and Egypt and definitely solidifies the adage of ‘one team, one fight,’” Saporita added.
The two ships conducted maneuvering drills with multiple ships operating closely, training together to improve their navigation, knowledge, and interoperability.
Warship Deployed With 5th Fleet
USS Jason Dunham was deployed in the US 5th Fleet area of operations during the naval exercise.
The 5th Fleet area of operations comprises more than 2.5 million square miles (6.47 million square kilometers) of sea, including the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean.
The region is home to 20 nations and encompasses three narrow stretches of water — the Strait of Hormuz, the Strait of Bab-al-Mandeb, and the Suez Canal.
The USS Jason Dunham
Launched in August 2009, the USS Jason Dunham — an Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer — was commissioned by the US Navy in November 2010.
The 9,300-ton vessel is equipped with the Aegis Weapon System, providing extensive warfighting capabilities on the surface, air, and ocean.
Equipped with a 96-cell Mk 41 vertical launching system, the Jason Dunham can launch surface-to-air missiles, long-range cruise missiles, and anti-submarine missiles.
The ship is also armed with one naval gun, two automatic cannons, four machine guns, and Mk 46 torpedoes. It can reach a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 kilometers/35 miles per hour) and carry two Sea Hawk helicopters.