U.S. 5th Fleet Sailors Celebrate Navy's 243rd Birthday October 13, 2018 — More than 500 service members and guests celebrated 243 years of American naval history and tradition during the Navy Birthday Ball at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Oct. 12. MORE

NAVCENT Sailors Support Bahrain Hospital October 2, 2018 — Sailors assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) participated in a community relations (COMREL) event at the American Mission Hospital in Manama, Bahrain, September 29. MORE

USMC F-35B conducts first combat strike in CENTCOM AOR September 27, 2018 — The Marine Corps F-35B, Lightning II, conducted its first combat strike in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, Sept. 27. MORE

Task Force 55 Conducts GUNNEX September 22, 2018 — Ships from Task Force (TF) 55 conducted a gunnery exercise (GUNNEX) in the Arabian Gulf, Sept. 19. MORE

C5F’s Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise Concludes September 20, 2018 — U.S. Navy and coalition assets completed the U.S. 5th Fleet Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise, Sept. 20. MORE

Coastal Patrol Ships Conduct Griffin Missile Shoot September 19, 2018 — U.S. 5th Fleet’s Combined Task Force (CTF) 55 conducted missile and naval gun exercises against high speed maneuvering targets during a Griffin Missile System (GMS) fleet firing Sept. 16-18. MORE

F-35B Deploys to Middle East for First Time September 17, 2018 — The Joint Strike Fighter F-35B Lightning II has deployed to the Middle East for the first time as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). MORE

NAVCENT Forges Eight New Chiefs September 13, 2018 — Eight Sailors assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet were promoted to the rank of chief petty officer during a pinning ceremony at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, September 13. MORE

C5F’s Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise September 9, 2018 — U.S. Navy and coalition assets are leading numerous exercises as part of the greater U.S. 5th Fleet Theater Counter Mine and Maritime Security Exercise. MORE

Jason Dunham Counts 2,521 AK-47s Seized September 6, 2018 — The guided-missile destroyer USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) seized an illicit weapons shipment found aboard a stateless skiff in the international waters of the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 28 now at counted 2,521 AK-47 automatic rifles. MORE