U.S. Navy Montenegro Ship Visits Montenegro

The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81) will arrive in Bar, Montenegro, July 6, for a scheduled port visit as part of the U.S.-Montenegro military partnership.

During the visit to Montenegro, the Commanding Officer, Commander Michael Hutchens, and members of the ship’s crew will meet with their Montenegrin Navy counterparts and local officials and citizens of Bar. Commander Hutchens will have an official call on Mayor of Bar Zarko Pavicevic and Montenegro’s Navy Commander Captain Rajko Bulatovic.

This port visit serves to continue U.S. 6th Fleet efforts to build Global Maritime Partnerships with Montenegro and improve maritime safety and security. Joint military training activities will include Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) demonstrations, as well as discussions about command and control of naval vessels.

Churchill is equipped to operate in a high density, multi-threat environment either independently or as an integral member of a Carrier Battle Group or a Surface Action Group. In addition to self-defense capabilities in Air Warfare (AW), Surface Warfare (SW), and Undersea Warfare (USW), Churchill can effectively provide local area protection to other ships in a battle group. The ship is named after former British Prime Minister and honorary citizen of the United States Sir Winston Churchill. The ship was commissioned in 2001, and its homeport is Norfolk, Virginia.

Home to a crew of more than 300 officers and sailors, Churchill offers most services associated with a small town, including dining, banking, ATM, laundry, postal, barber, two fitness centers, library resources and shopping facilities while maintaining more than 10,000 spare parts.

Churchill is conducting this port visit as part of a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th fleet area of responsibility.

More information about the USS Winston S. Churchill DDG 81 is available at: http://www.churchill.navy.mil/