JULY 2, 2026 – The first-ever Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) 250 concluded at Naval Station Norfolk June 29, following a series of in-port and underway events involving 32 U.S., allied, and partner ships across 14 nations. Beyond celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday, the conclusion of FLEETEX 250 represents the United States’ unwavering commitment to homeland defense through forward-deployed, combat-credible forces and reinforced interoperability with allies and partners to ensure global maritime security.
Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet spearheaded the planning and execution of FLEETEX 250 from June 22-29 in the Cherry Point and Virginia Capes operating areas. The underway exercise involved unprecedented coordination, completing a series of tactical at-sea maneuvers, communication drills, information-sharing protocols, a photo exercise, and a culminating amphibious assault.
Twenty nations participated in the at-sea photo exercise: Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Spain, Türkiye, and the United States.
“We demonstrated real strength and power during FLEETEX 250, representing how we can scale our interoperability and leverage our alliances for the defense of our strategic lines of communication,” said Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “Bringing together ready maritime forces from across the globe allowed us to validate our command-and-control capabilities in critical operational areas -Including air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and integrated amphibious operations – ensuring we are ready for whatever is presented to us by an enemy.”
During the exercise, U.S. Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), under II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), played a critical role conducting events at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The 26th MEU, along with ground, air, and logistical elements from II MEF, participated in combined operations with U.S. naval support from the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3).
“Fleet Exercise 250 was an incredible opportunity to really expand our horizons when it comes to integrating the warfighting functions and all-domain operations,” said Col. Michael Stansberry, commanding officer, 26th MEU. “It was a significant experience with our partners to see how the interaction brought us together. Before we even started the culminating event and the integrated planning, we were able to conduct concurrent training – from combat marksmanship to indirect fire missions to reconnaissance and surveillance planning.”
A significant portion of the exercise focused on amphibious assault and combined operations with Spanish, French, and Italian partners to validate tactical procedures in a highly demanding multi-domain environment. The combined training conducted by Spanish Marines alongside U.S. and French forces was divided into two phases:
- Phase One:A 10-day Combat Enhancement Training–Force Integration Training (CET-FIT) program focusing on cohesion and interoperability. Forces trained across infantry, artillery, reconnaissance, engineering, and combat service support. Activities included urban operations, helicopter-borne insertions, live-fire exercises, and expeditionary logistics.
- Phase Two:A combined tactical exercise integrating the 26th MEU headquarters and the Spanish Reinforced Landing Group into an O-6 level combined command. The Spanish Battalion Landing Team served as the main effort alongside U.S. Marine Corps units, validating combined planning, command and control, and the execution of expeditionary operations.
Col. Manuel Colino, commander of the Spanish Marine contingent, emphasized the strategic impact of the joint operations.
“The integration with the 26th MEU has been exceptional. It clearly demonstrates Spain’s unwavering commitment to NATO’s deterrence and defense posture while reinforcing the cohesion and interoperability that unite Allied and partner nations,” Colino said. “This deployment has also highlighted the Spanish Navy’s ability to project naval power ashore and to deploy and sustain an expeditionary combat force far from national territory. These capabilities are essential to contributing effectively to NATO’s collective defense and crisis response missions.”
At the conclusion of FLEETEX 250, participating ships began their transit to New York City for the International Naval Review (INR) 250. The gathering in New York Harbor will highlight the enduring strength of maritime partnerships and honor 250 years of the United States’ maritime heritage, service, and commitment to the defense of the nation and the global commons.
For more information about the INR 250, participating ships, and a schedule of public events, please visit https://www.navy.mil/Navy-250/Events/INR-2026/.
U.S. 2nd Fleet, reestablished in 2018 in response to the changing global security environment, develops and employs maritime ready forces to fight across multiple domains in the Atlantic and Arctic in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied, and partner interests.
For more U.S. 2nd Fleet news and photos, visit facebook.com/US2ndFleet, https://www.c2f.usff.navy.mil/, X – @US2ndFleet, and https://www.linkedin.com/company/commander-u-s-2nd-fleet.
Courtesy Story
Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet