AFM deputy commander visits USS Mount Whitney

AFM Deputy Commander Col. David Attard, met with U.S. Chargé d'Affaires Arnold H. Campbell; Rear Adm. Kenneth aboard USS Mount Whitney, currently undergoing maintenance at Palumbo Shipyards.

The USS Mount Whitney
The USS Mount Whitney

A US Europe/Africa Command statement said that while on board, the visiting dignitaries toured the joint operations center, network operations center and the bridge, and met with Sailors who provided briefs of Mount Whitney's command and control capabilities. Mount Whitney is at the Palumbo Shipyard for scheduled maintenance.

Among those on board were  "K.J." Norton, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategy, Resources and Plans; and Capt. Ted Williams, Mount Whitney's commanding officer.
"The [USS] Mount Whitney is an impressive representative of our United States Navy, embodying the very latest in high technology command and control systems," Campbell said.

"It has remained a vital part of the [U.S.] 6th Fleet due in large part to the careful maintenance and high quality work performed by shipyards such as found here in Malta."

"In keeping with the vision of engagement and enhancing interoperability, it was an honor and pleasure hosting the U.S. chargé d'affaires and the Armed Forces of Malta deputy chief of defense for a tour aboard USS Mount Whitney," said Capt. Williams.

Mount Whitney is a Blue Ridge-class command ship and is the flagship for the U.S. 6th Fleet. Mount Whitney is homeported in Gaeta, Italy, and operates with a hybrid crew of U.S. Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.