11:02 AM5/13/2024

Over five days, 13 nations from across West Africa, Europe, and North America sent military delegations to collaborate, learn, and train together as part of the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF)’s Obangame Express 2024 military interdiction training events at the Ghana Western Naval Headquarters in Sekondi. 

12:00 AM12/14/2022

In addition to a new, 33-foot patrol boat recently delivered, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District managed the construction of an improved boat launch facility.

12:58 PM10/25/2022

From a security standpoint IUU has been noted to threaten nations in many forms – from criminal activity at ports to the rule of law. These activities, coupled with food security, loss of income, and climate change all lead to instability.

12:00 AM10/11/2022

During the week long exercise, USS Hershel “Woody” Williams will participate in maritime security scenarios that combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, piracy, drug trafficking, pollution, and rescue at sea.

12:00 PM9/14/2022

The USS Hershel “Woody” Williams arrived in Pointe Noire, Republic of the Congo, for a scheduled port visit, Sept. 12, 2022.

3:34 PM3/22/2022

Service members with the Royal Moroccan military provide covering positions during a boarding training evolution aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams as part of exercise Obangame Express 2022, March 15, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

3:15 PM3/22/2022

Service members from ally and African partner nations attend the Senior Leadership Symposium as part of exercise Obangame Express 2022 at the Senegalese Naval Headquarters, in Dakar, Senegal, March 16, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

3:15 PM3/22/2022

Senegalese sailors participate in medical training onboard the Senegalese Navy's patrol ship, Fouladou, as part of exercise Obangame Express in Dakar, Senegal, Mar. 14, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

3:12 PM3/22/2022

Lt. Col. Khadessa Sy, head of gender division, Senegalese Armed Forces, delivers the keynote speech for the Women, Peace, and Security presentation at the Senior Leadership Symposium as part of exercise Obangame Express 2022 at the Senegalese Naval Headquarters, in Dakar, Senegal, March 16, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

3:12 PM3/22/2022

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Ryan Altizer points out a potential surface contact to Master-at-Arms 1st Class Rachael Crawford, both assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron Three, while entering the Port of Dakar, Senegal, aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams during exercise Obangame Express 2022, March 17, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

2:50 PM3/22/2022

Service members with the Royal Moroccan military provide covering positions during a boarding training evolution aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams as part of exercise Obangame Express 2022, March 15, 2022. Obangame Express 2022 is a maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation and increase maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

12:00 AM3/21/2022

The exercise, concluding March 18, 2022, featured an in-port training period followed by an at-sea portion that tested the participating ships’ and maritime operation centers’ abilities to conduct maritime interdiction operations.

9:58 AM8/25/2021

Members of a Brazilian Navy visit, board, search, and seizure team return to their boat following a drill aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4), Aug. 22, 2021. The engagement highlights the U.S. and Brazil’s shared interest in maritime safety and freedom of commerce in the southern Atlantic.

9:47 AM8/25/2021

Brazilian Navy frigate Independencia (F-44) executes a maneuver on the port side of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) during maneuvering drills in the Atlantic Ocean Aug. 22, 2021. The engagement highlights the U.S. and Brazil’s shared interest in maritime safety and freedom of commerce in the southern Atlantic.

9:45 AM8/25/2021

Brazilian Navy frigate Independencia (F-44) executes a maneuver on the port side of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams (ESB 4) during maneuvering drills in the Atlantic Ocean Aug. 22, 2021. Hershel "Woody" Williams is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national interests and security in Europe and Africa.

9:38 AM8/25/2021

The engagement highlights the U.S. and Brazil’s shared interest in maritime safety and freedom of commerce in the southern Atlantic.

9:54 AM8/10/2021

“Maritime engagements that include many navies working together really improve our interoperability and collective capability, which are absolutely necessary for a busy area such as the Gulf of Guinea,” Graham said.

11:04 AM8/9/2021

Members of the Ghanaian Special Boat Squadron embarked the expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) to participate in maritime security training alongside the Nigerian Navy, Aug. 5, 2021.

10:43 AM7/12/2021

Service members from the Ghanaian special forces provide cover while approaching a vessel during a boarding exercise as part of Obangame Express 2021 on March 17, 2021. Obangame Express is an at-sea maritime exercise designed to improve cooperation among participating nations in order to increase maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea and West Africa coastal regions.

10:41 AM7/12/2021

U.S. Naval Forces Africa, Europe and U.S. Sixth Fleet Chief of Staff, Rear Adm. Nancy Lacore, virtually attends the two-day International Maritime Defence and Exhibition Conference 2021 hosted by the Ghanaian Navy from July 7-8, 2021.

10:14 AM7/12/2021

Chiefs of Navies and Air Forces from across the world focus on combatting piracy and supporting economies.

1:53 PM6/10/2021

A B-52H Stratofortress, assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, takes off out of Morón Air Base, Spain to fly over the continent of Africa in support of Bomber Task Force Europe June 9, 2021. U.S. Strategic Command forces are on watch 24 hours a day, seven days a week to deter and defeat strategic attack against the U.S. and our allies with conventional and nuclear capabilities.

1:49 PM6/10/2021

The flight over parts of Northern Africa and all of Western Africa exercised the aircraft’s capability to operate in a variety of airspaces.

11:39 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, oversees a color parade at the Ghana Armed Forces headquarters at Burma Camp, Ghana, as part of a two-day visit Feb. 23-24. “It’s important we grow our partnership with Ghana to advance shared security goals," Townsend said.

11:12 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets with Lt. Gen. O.B Akwa, former chief of defense staff, as part of a two-day visit Feb. 23-24. “We are improving out military ties through exchanges and Non-Commissioned Officer development. It’s important we grow our partnership with Ghana to advance shared security goals,” Townsend said.

11:12 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House as part of a two-day visit Feb. 23-24. “Ghana is an African security leader and a key partner of U.S. Africa Command. I look forward to exploring ways we can continue to deepen our partnership,” Townsend said.

11:11 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets with President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House as part of a two-day visit Feb. 23-24. “Ghana is an African security leader and a key partner of U.S. Africa Command. I look forward to exploring ways we can continue to deepen our partnership,” Townsend said.

11:10 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, oversees a color parade at the Ghana Armed Forces headquarters at Burma Camp, Ghana, as part of a two-day visit Feb. 23-24. “It’s important we grow our partnership with Ghana to advance shared security goals," Townsend said.

11:10 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, poses with Ghanaian leaders and U.S. Embassy personnel in Accra as part of a two-day visit to Ghana, Feb. 23-24. Topics of discussion throughout the trip included the shared commitment to degrade the influence of regional violent extremist organizations.

11:08 AM2/25/2021

Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, meets with the Honorable Dominic Nitiwul, Ghana Minister of Defense designate, as part of a two-day visit to Ghana, Feb. 23-24. As violence in the Sahel and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea both steadily increase, Ghana’s strategic location makes it a critical anchor for multiple efforts, including activities to improve maritime security and counter transnational crime.

2:57 PM10/26/2020

Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams, right, conducts maneuvers during a maneuvering exercise with Nigerian Navy ships NNS Prosperity, center, and NNS Okpabana in the Gulf of Guinea, Sept. 30, 2020. Hershel “Woody” Williams is on its inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.

2:53 PM10/26/2020

An MH-60S Seahawk helicopter assigned to the "Ghost Riders" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28 takes off from the flight deck of the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel "Woody" Williams during a tracking exercise between Hershel “Woody” Williams, the Italian Navy frigate ITS Federico Martinengo, and the Ghana Navy Snake-class patrol vessel Ehwor in the Gulf of Guinea, Sept. 28, 2020. Also pictured is an Italian NH 90 helicopter assigned to Federico Martinengo. Hershel "Woody" Williams is on its inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.

2:51 PM10/26/2020

The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4), right center, conducts a tracking exercise with Ivorian Navy ships OPV C.F. Sekongo and OPV L’Emergence and Italian Navy frigate ITS Federico Martinengo (F 596), right, in the Gulf of Guinea, Sept. 26, 2020. Hershel “Woody” Williams is on its inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.

2:40 PM10/26/2020

While operating in the U.S. Africa Command area of operations, the ship conducted six maritime evolutions alongside African partner nations, participated in a major multinational exercise, and conducted refueling operations.

9:32 AM10/16/2020

An Italian NH 90 helicopter assigned to the Italian Navy frigate ITS Federico Martinengo, lands on the Martinengo during Grand African NEMO, in the Gulf of Guinea, Oct. 08. Hershel "Woody" Williams is on its inaugural deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa area of responsibility in support of maritime missions and special operations.

9:26 AM10/16/2020

The USS Hershel "Woody" Williams conducts exercises with Italian Navy frigate ITS Federico Martinengo, Nigerian Navy frigate NNS Thunder, patrol vessel NNS Ologbo, seaward defense boat NNS Andoni and the patrol vessel NNS Kyanwa, during Grand African NEMO, in the Gulf of Guinea, Oct. 08.

9:18 AM10/16/2020

Hershel “Woody” Williams recently completed tracking and maneuvering exercises with Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Senegal, Cabo Verde, and Morocco.

2:08 PM10/8/2020

Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, takes a tour of the Cooperative Security Location in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 6, 2020. Neary traveled to Senegal to discuss future opportunities for collaboration with the head of Senegal’s Navy, visit to critical locations, and meet with U.S. Embassy officials.

1:47 PM10/8/2020

Maj. Gen. Stephen Neary, commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, visited with Senegalese Naval Chief of Staff Rear Adm. Oumar Wade and U.S. Ambassador to Senegal Tulinabo Mushingi, in Dakar, Senegal, Oct. 5-7, 2020.

12:00 AM9/26/2020