Tri-Party Staff Talks 2023 conclude after a year of accomplishments and big plans for the future
15 September 2023
NORFOLK, Va. -- NORFOLK, Va. (Sep. 15, 2023) -- The 2023 Tri-Party Staff Talks, an annual meeting between U.S. 2nd Fleet, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and Canadian Joint Task Force-Atlantic, were held in Portsmouth, Va., Sept. 12-13.
The staff talks, hosted this year by U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, are designed to enable North American maritime security through enhanced interoperability, increased domain awareness and robust exercise planning.
Members of the Tri-Party worked together this year on the high-altitude surveillance balloon recovery operation, the search for the Titan submersible, constant search and rescue missions, and various maritime warfare and security exercises throughout the Atlantic and Arctic, all of which demonstrate the importance of an aligned Tri-Party.
During this year’s staff talks, Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. David Patchell, vice commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, along with U.S. Coast Guard Vice Adm. Kevin Lunday, commander, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area, and Royal Canadian Navy Rear Adm. Josée Kurtz, commander, Joint Task Force Atlantic, participated in a live demonstration by U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team-East and engaged with their teams in developing future Tri-Party plans.
“These talks and demonstrations further our Tri-Party collaboration and allow us to continue to improve and excel in maritime security and law enforcement, search and rescue, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and protecting marine environment and resources,” Patchell said. “The recent Canadian-led exercise Operation Nanook was also a tremendous example of how well we work together, training as a team in high end maritime warfare, providing security and defense of North America.”
During Operation Nanook 2023, which concluded Sept. 9, Patchell observed the anti-submarine warfare capabilities aboard a P-8A Poseidon, attached to the "Pelicans" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 as it flew 1,700 nautical miles from Gander, Newfoundland, Canada to Pituffik Space Base, Greenland, Aug. 29. This flight marked the first time a P-8A Poseidon landed at Pituffik Space Base, a proof-of-concept operation demonstrating the ability to conduct sustained operations in the Arctic.
“The capabilities of the aircraft, and even more the skills and professionalism of the U.S. Navy P-8A crew, was extremely impressive,” Patchell said. “I was also amazed by the resilience and dedication of the team at the Pituffik Space Base to keep such a strategic base operating in such a challenging environment.”
The U.S. assets that participated in Operation Nanook 2023 included VP 10 and 45, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), Unmanned Undersea Vehicle Flotilla 1 embarked on U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Forward (WMEC 911), and Los Angeles-Class submarine USS San Juan (SSN 751).
As part of the operation, San Juan navigated the Northwest Passage with four Royal Canadian Navy members embarked aboard the submarine. San Juan was tracked by air, land and sea assets along the route, increasing collective Tri-Party anti-submarine warfare and all domain awareness capabilities.
Following Operation Nanook, U.S. 2nd Fleet continued supporting the Tri-Party this year with USS Porter (DDG 78) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) participating in Halifax International Fleet Week and Cutlass Fury 2023, another Canadian-led exercise taking place off the coast of Nova Scotia, which is focused on interoperability between Allies, joint elements, and submarine warfare threats. Cutlass Fury 2023 is currently ongoing.
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime forces ready to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.