USS TAYLOR (FFG – 50 )
The US Navy warship, USS Mount Whitney sailed into the Black Sea today, the Voice of Russia reports.
USS Mount Whitney, the flagship of the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet, will be joined by another US Navy ship, an Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, USS Taylor, later in the day, a spokesman for the Russian Navy HQ said.
USS Mount Whitney departed from Gaeta, Italy on Friday, January 31, and USS Taylor followed on Saturday, February 1. Both warships have an embarked H-60 helicopter onboard, according to the Foxnews.
The ship is currently sailing in the Black Sea, but she will not enter the Russian territorial waters, the spokesman added.
US officials earlier confirmed that the ships will head to the Black Sea in advance of the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.
| SPECIFICATIONS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC-20) | USS TAYLOR (FFG – 50) | ||
| Length | 189 m | Length | 138 m |
| Beam | 33 m | Beam | 14 m |
| Draft | 9.06 m | Draft | 6.7 m |
| Displacement | 18.400 tons full load | Displacement | 4.200 tons full load |
| Speed | 23 knots | Speed | over 29 knots |
| Complement | 170 officers and enlisted men; and 155 Military Sealift Command civilian sailors |
Complement | 15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers |
| Status | In active service | Status | In active service |
Naval Today Staff, February 5, 2014; Image: US Navy