German Sachsen-Class frigate Hessen joins Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group.

The German air defense frigate will become an integral part of the group, which includes several warships and support ships, with the US 's newest aircraft carrier. The primary task of the "Hessen" will be the association's air defence, so it serves to protect all ships and especially the "Gerald R. Ford" against potential enemy guided missiles, fighter-bombers or bombers. The focus of the coming weeks in the North Atlantic will be multinational operational cooperation and targeted operational training based on various threat scenarios.
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On the way to two and a half months of training: The "Hessen" casts off her lines in Wilhelmshaven on September 5th (Picture source: Bundeswehr)

"The crew can expect strenuous days at sea and in the training program," says the commander of the "Hessen", frigate captain Volker Kübsch. "Every crew member has the opportunity to personally experience international cooperation."

During its North Atlantic voyage, the German ship will call at ports such as Norfolk, Virginia in the USA - home port of the "Gerald R. Ford" -, Halifax in Canada and Reykjavik in Iceland. The ship and its crew are expected back in Wilhelmshaven in mid-November.

The "Hessen" was already part of a US in 2018 United States-Aircraft Carrier Association with the USS "Harry S. Truman". The German frigate "Hessen" is one of three ships of the Sachsen class: They are designed as multi-purpose ships for escort and sea space control. Their main focus is air defence: All sensors and weapons on board are optimized for the main task of formation air defence.

The aircraft carrier USS "Gerald R. Ford" is the lead ship of its class, successor to the ships of the Nimitz class. Named after the former US President, the ship was commissioned on July 22, 2017.

The "Gerald R. Ford" leads one of the ten aircraft carrier battle groups of the USUnited States-Navy on. The 2nd Fleet, which is responsible for the North Atlantic, currently has four of these formations (Picture source: US Navy)