Sailors from Hampton Roads participating in NATO's largest exercise in decades

NORFOLK, Va. — Sailors from Hampton Roads are on the coast of Norway participating in NATO's largest exercise in decades.

The USS Gunston Hall, a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship, departed Naval Station Norfolk for the exercise at the end of January.

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Its crew of around 400 Sailors are now taking part in exercise "Steadfast Defender" in and around the coast of Norway. The Navy says right now, the Sailors are conducting Arctic training exercises with Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian forces.

U.S. Navy

During the exercise, the Sailors have been bolstering relationships with allies, the Navy says. When the USS Gunston Hall departed, the Navy shared that the exercise also entails determining readiness in the event of an attack in Europe.