A US soldier walks on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The Kearsarge is the first ship of the Wasp class to take part in international training in the Baltic in at least two decades. Associated Press journalists visited the ship last week.
Deck personnel check a AH-1Z Viper on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“It’s a first off for us in recent memory and it’s been very exciting,” said Capt. Tom Foster, the commanding officer of the Kearsarge.
Final checker gives a thumb up to a AV-8B Harrier taking off from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
With some other U.S. Navy ships, the Kearsarge has been training for several months with the militaries of Sweden and Finland, which formally applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
A US Navy soldier communicates through radio while launching a pontoon from the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The training mission is to promote safety and security in the region.
US Navy soldier serve the command post on the bridge of the of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“In the past several months, we have been operating in the Baltics and in the Mediterranean,” said Capt. Aaron Kelley, commander of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group.
A US soldier works out in the hangar at the the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“We’ll continue to operate in those areas. And always the goal there is promoting safety and security in those regions and in international waters,” Kelley said.
The landing craft carrying Light Armored Vehicles disembarks from the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The USS Kearsarge allows for training by such aircraft as AV-8B Harriers, UH-1 Y Venom and AH- 1Z Viper helicopters as well as MV-22 Osprey planes.
US Navy soldier reads a book sitting next to Light Armored Vehicles in the hangar at the the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The Baltic Sea countries are Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark.
Deck personnel walks next to a MH-60S Seahawk on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
MV-22 Osprey, assault support aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps, takes off from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The Kearsarge is the first ship of the Wasp class to take part in international training in the Baltic in at least two decades. Associated Press journalists visited the ship last week.
HNLMS Karel Doorman (A833), multi-function support ship for amphibious operations of the Royal Netherlands Navy, operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“It’s a first off for us in recent memory and it’s been very exciting,” said Capt. Tom Foster, the commanding officer of the Kearsarge.
A US Marine soldier walks in the corridor at the the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
With some other U.S. Navy ships, the Kearsarge has been training for several months with the militaries of Sweden and Finland, which formally applied to join NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The training mission is to promote safety and security in the region.
AV-8B Harrier takes off from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“In the past several months, we have been operating in the Baltics and in the Mediterranean,” said Capt. Aaron Kelley, commander of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group.
Deck personnel gives signals to a MV-22 Osprey, assault support aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps, after landing on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Friday, Sept. 2, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
“We’ll continue to operate in those areas. And always the goal there is promoting safety and security in those regions and in international waters,” Kelley said.
Capt. Thomas Foster, Commanding Officer of the USS Kearsarge (LHD3), mans the command post on the bridge of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The USS Kearsarge allows for training by such aircraft as AV-8B Harriers, UH-1 Y Venom and AH- 1Z Viper helicopters as well as MV-22 Osprey planes.
Final checker navigates a AV-8B Harrier prior to take off from the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
The Baltic Sea countries are Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark.
The Finnish Hameenmaa-class Minelayer FNS Hameenmaa (MM 02) operating in the Baltic Sea, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Amid Russia’s war on Ukraine and tensions in the Baltic Sea region, USS Kearsarge is the first U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship in at least 20 years to be taking part in international training in the Baltic. (AP Photo/Michal Dyjuk)
