/media-room/photo/23017/reflections-from-africa-partnership-station
April 2, 2014
GULF OF GUINEA (April 2, 2014) - Civil service mariners aboard joint, high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) look through binoculars at a suspected illegal fishing vessel as part of a U.S.-Ghana combined maritime law enforcement operation under the African Maritime Law Enforcement Partnership (AMLEP) program. AMLEP, the operational phase of Africa Partnership Station (APS), brings together U.S. Navy, U.S. Coastguard, and respective Africa partner maritime forces to actively patrol that partner's territorial waters and economic exclusion zone with the goal of intercepting vessels that may have been involved in illicit activity. Spearhead, the U.S. Navy's first-in-class joint, high-speed vessel, is on its maiden deployment supporting APS in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Justin R. DiNiro/ Released)