Gunston Hall’s return to Harstad is a milestone in the training objectives for Steadfast Defender, highlighting the ship’s ability to embark NATO forces and conduct Allied-integrated amphibious operations.
“Operating in the Arctic has been extremely valuable for Gunston Hall’s crew and the Allied troops she carried,” said Cmdr. Christopher W. Van Loenen, Gunston Hall’s commanding officer. “We have learned how to overcome the harsh environmental factors while still admiring the beauty of the Nordic Fjords. I look forward to our stay in Harstad, Norway, and showing appreciation to our hosts and strong Allies.”
During Steadfast Defender, Gunston Hall operated alongside Italian Landing Assault Helicopter Ship Giuseppe Garibaldi, Italian amphibious transport dock San Giorgio, and French Navy Aquitaine-class Frigate Normandie. Gunston Hall carried out five amphibious exercises and 19 well deck operations in the High North with French and Finnish forces, as well as NATO’s newest Ally, Sweden, all while under an Italian Amphibious Task Force, operating in Norwegian waters.
Gunston Hall’s integration with Allies and their presence in Harstad emphasizes NATO’s interoperability and readiness. It demonstrates the United States Navy’s dedication to fostering international partnerships.
Gunston Hall is an amphibious vessel currently assigned to the U.S. 2nd Fleet based in Norfolk, Virginia. It is one of the 50 NATO naval assets, accompanied by 80 air platforms and 1,100 combat vehicles, participating in Steadfast Defender. 2024 year marks the 75th anniversary of the NATO Alliance, and this exercise is the largest NATO exercise in decades, showcasing the alliance’s sheer strength and dominance.
Steadfast Defender 24 is a multi-domain operational and tactical-level live exercise that aims to rapidly deploy forces from North America and other parts of the Alliance to reinforce Europe’s defense. During the exercise, Allies demonstrated their ability to deploy some 90,000 forces from North America and other parts of the Alliance, move them to and across Europe, from the Arctic to the Eastern flank of the Alliance, and conduct defensive operations.
The 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 to ensure access, deter aggression, and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
U.S. Navy photos and b-roll are available on DVIDS. For more information, contact c2f_pao@us.navy.mil.
