ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire (March 29, 2017) Ivorian Sailors communicate with national and allied ships at the Maritime Operations Center (MOC) during Obangame express 2017. An Ivorian Sailor gets ready for an Obangame Express evolution. Obangame Express 2017, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command, is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness, information-sharing practices, and tactical interdiction expertise to enhance the collective capabilities of Gulf of Guinea and West African nations to counter sea-based illicit activity. (U.S. Navy Video by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Bounome Chanphouang/Released)
On Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, Sailors from Patrol Squadron (VP) 9 could be seen at the plane wash rack at Naval Air Station Sigonella, despite the chilly weather and rainy conditions. Sporting rubber gloves and boots, their face masks and parkas shielding them from the elements, they did their part to prevent aircraft corrosion by giving the squadron’s P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft a proper plane wash.
Joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) and its embarked detachment of U.S. Navy Sailors, civil service mariners, Cameroonian military personnel and U.S., Spanish and British Marines wrapped up their participation in Exercise Obangame Express 2015, March 25.
Sailors assigned to the U.S. 6th Fleet command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) participated in a community relations project (COMREL) at the Karasova Ulica Kindergarten School in Rijeka, Croatia, March 20-24, 2015.
Involving 23 countries and taking place across Africa’s Gulf of Guinea, Exercise Obangame Express 2015 is one of the largest military exercises in Africa. The annual U.S. Africa Command-sponsored multinational exercise is designed to increase maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.
