US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) entered the Black Sea on July 19 to take part in the 20th iteration of US-Ukrainian co-hosted exercise Sea Breeze 2020.
This is the fifth US ship to visit the Black Sea since the beginning of 2020. The last ships to visit the Black Sea were USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) and USS Porter (DDG 78). During their time in the Black Sea, the ships participated in interoperability exercises with the Bulgarian Navy, Romanian Navy, Georgian Coast Guard, and Turkish Navy. Exercises included air defense exercises, tactical communications, and formation maneuvering.
Porter, along with additional US Navy P-8 aircraft from Patrol Squadron VP (47), will be participating in the US and Ukrainian co-hosted exercise Sea Breeze.
Sea Breeze seeks to build combined capability and capacity to ensure maritime regional security and foster cooperative relationships among partnering nations. Sea Breeze is in its 20th iteration and is scheduled to involve 2,000 personnel from nine nations, comprised of 27 ships and 19 aircraft.
Nations scheduled to participate in Sea Breeze 2020 include Bulgaria, France, Georgia, Norway, Romania, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United States.
NATO’s Standing Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) and Standing Mine Countermeasures Group Two (SNMCMG2) entered the Black Sea earlier this month ahead of the start of the exercise on July 20.
