THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 27, 1996 TAG: 9603270427
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALISON BOLOGNA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 31 lines
NATO ships and submarines, including 11 from Norfolk, are expected to arrive approximately 70 miles off the coast Friday for Exercise Unified Spirit 96.
US '96 includes 31 ships and submarines from seven NATO nations: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States. Aviation squadrons from more than 25 U.S. and Canadian bases, including 10 aircraft from Norfolk, are also participating in the event.
The exercise, which has not been practiced since 1993, was primarily developed to help NATO forces improve their abilities to protect and coordinate mine-warfare forces. The exercise was also designed to help NATO forces improve command communication, embargo enforcement and harbor defense.
US '96 commanders have been advised about environmental issues and have been trained to take precautions to ensure environmental safety.
Ships left Mayport, Fla., on Friday and are expected to arrive at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on April 3.
The event was scheduled by NATO's Norfolk-based Allied Command Atlantic and was coordinated by Adm. William J. Flanagan Jr. by CNB