USS Donald Cook Departs UK’s Portsmouth to Participate in NATO War Games

USS Donald Cook has departed the UK's Portsmouth to take part in NATO's massive drills called Exercise Saxon Warrior 2017, the US Navy announced on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The US guided missile destroyer Donald Cook has departed from the city of Portsmouth to participate in a ten-day war-fighting NATO practice off the coast of the United Kingdom, US Naval Forces Europe said in a release.

"Donald Cook is participating in exercise Saxon Warrior 2017, a United States and United Kingdom co-hosted exercise that focuses on the interoperability and robust training with key allies across the full spectrum of carrier strike group warfare areas," the release said.

Exercise Saxon Warrior 2017 will take place on August 1-10 and will include about 6,000 US sailors, along with service members from Germany, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, according to the release.

US forces assigned to the 6th Fleet, including the George H. W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, will train side-by-side with forces from the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group to build combined maritime and aviation capability and capacity.