The United States Congressional Delegation (CODEL) is travelling to key Southern European countries to conduct engagements with senior U.S., NATO, and Southern European countries’ military and other government officials on European and Transatlantic security, security cooperation efforts, as well as NATO contingency planning, posture, facilities, and infrastructure topics, particularly those associated with hybrid warfare challenges.
After a visit that encompassed Spain, Greece and Croatia, the CODEL visited Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) in Oeiras, Portugal. During the day, the distinguished visitors were welcomed by Vice Admiral Thomas E. Ishee, STRIKFORNATO Commander, and received relevant background information on STRIKFORNATO and its mission.
STRIKFORNATO shares a common Commander with the U.S. Sixth Fleet, who also serves as the Deputy Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF). Having a “dual-hatted” Commander is critical to the integration high-end U.S. (and other nations’) naval forces into Alliance operations.
STRIKFORNATO is a rapidly deployable joint battlestaff with a unique role within the Alliance. Under permanent operational command to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), STRIKFORNATO is an experienced 3-star led joint headquarters, whose primary mission is to command and integrate U.S. maritime capabilities into NATO operations.
U.S Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with Allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.