RFA Fort Rosalie supports U.S. 5th Fleet

By By Commander U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs | | February 20, 2018

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS --

The United Kingdom’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Fort Rosalie (A385) conducted a replenishment-at–sea with aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in the Arabian Gulf, Feb. 15.

For the past month, the Fort Rosalie has provided support to U.S. 5th Fleet’s Task Force (TF) 53 and has transferred food, repair parts, mail and other supplies to U.S. ships operating in the region.

“The United Kingdom and the United States share a long-standing relationship in the maritime,” said Capt. Timothy Gibboney, commodore of TF 53. “Working with our U.K. partners allows us to enhance collective interoperability in bringing our operating forces much-needed supplies, and we are appreciative for Fort Rosalie’s vital contributions.”

While operating with the Theodore Roosevelt Feb. 15, MH-60S Sea Hawks, assigned to the Indians of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6, transferred 106 pallets of cargo and mail from Fort Rosalie during a vertical replenishment.

In January, Fort Rosalie sent seven sailors to USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) to train for the bilateral replenishment-at-sea operations. The Fort Rosalie team integrated with the U.S. crew and were involved in a range of training from load building and movement, to a steering gear breakdown drill. Since then, Fort Rosalie has also conducted replenishment operations with USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52).

TF 53 coordinates replenishment-at-sea efforts and delivers passengers, mail, cargo, ammunition, provisions and fuel throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations via air, land and sea, helping to ensure Sailors onboard ships have what they need to complete their missions. TF 53 was established in 1992 to perform operational logistical coordination and given tactical control over all assigned logistics forces.

Bunker Hill is deployed with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region

U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. The expanse is comprised of 20 countries and includes three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Strait of Bab al Mandeb at the southern tip of Yemen.