Silent Partnership Is the Theme For 2008

Updated: Ask and you shall receive.


Have you read the story about the LPD part of the African Partnership Station Initiative in the Gulf of Guinea? No, not the USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43), but the LPD that deployed back in November to operate in theater. No? We noticed, but we didn't connect the dots without help.

Quietly, without any US media attention, FS Bougainville (L9077) has been operating for several weeks as part of the African Partnership Station Initiative. Throw in the USS Annapolis (SSN 760) and HSV Swift and we are observing some interesting capabilities for the Global Fleet Station concept. It sure would be nice to discuss details, but one of the most interesting observations about these international partnerships is the silence in the media.

It is unclear if this is intended or not. If you recall, Adm. Ulrich was initially excited to discuss API before it began, but apparently peacemaking doesn't make headlines. The article hinted at this development.

From Washington, Ulrich is heading to a sea-power conference featuring naval chiefs from across the globe. There, he said he wants to explain why the next ship that sails into the Gulf of Guinea for the APS effort “isn’t flying an American flag.”

If he ever mentioned FS Bougainville (L9077), the media never covered his discussion. For some reason, and it would be nice to know the real reason, these partnership missions aren't generating any news stories unless it involves some humanitarian work. That is well and good, but the partnership aspect is being ignored.

It is a critical aspect of the mission though, that information represents the partnership justification the Navy will need if it ever intends to walk into Congress and discuss the new Maritime Strategy as opposed to shipbuilding problems. The new Strategy will require the Navy to sell ideas, but right now those ideas are not making it into the public discussion.

Another example of silent partnership is the upcoming Orion 08 deployment. The British are sending HMS Illustrious (R06) on a major deployment next month. This will be another partnership deployment.

Codenamed Orion 08, deployment will include Royal Navy, French, Spanish and US warships - including a submarine - and 20 fixed-wing and rotary aircraft. The force will be under the operational control of the RN and will visit 20 ports in the Mediterranean, in Africa, the Middle East, southern Asia and the Far East.

There hasn't been an official announcement regarding the full force composition, much less which US Navy ships will be attached. If we had a guess, we would say the USS Nicholas (FFG 47) for a few random reasons, but that is just a guess. As for aircraft? No idea, is 1(F) Squadron Royal Air Force deployed to Afghanistan? 800 NAS? Or perhaps as the RN article above implies, it will be Spanish Harriers...

The Orion 08 group is now said to include HMS Edinburgh (D97) and HMS Westminster (F237), but we are also hearing 4 minesweepers (Two Hunt and Two Sandown Class) instead of the 2 originally reported, and three RFA support ships, one of which will be the RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009) already in route to the Gulf. A nuclear submarine (Trafalgar-class) is rumored.

No word on what French or Spanish ships will deploy with the group, which isn't too surprising, as best we can tell when it comes to partnership deployments in 2008, all we hear is the silence of details.