The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New York (LPD 21) and Rotterdam-class landing platform dock HNLMS Johan de Witt (L 801) arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia for a scheduled port visit, marking the completion of Atlantic Alliance 2025 (AA25), July 11, 2025.
AA25 is the premier East Coast naval integration exercise, involving 8,500 Sailors, Marines, and Ally personnel rehearsing, training and refining U.S. Navy and Marine Corps amphibious capabilities while improving interoperability with U.S. Allies in the littoral environment.
AA25 included amphibious and air demonstrations, and naval maneuver exercises along the East Coast from North Carolina to Maine. AA25 focused on force integration training, bilateral reconnaissance training, simulated naval strait transits, and expeditionary advanced base operations (EABO) training. Additionally, AA25 enhanced command-and-control relationships with Marine Corps and coalition forces ashore and afloat, along with naval formations with U.S. and Allied nations.
“AA25 was a great opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to integrate with our Allies in the Atlantic,” said Rear Admiral George Pastoor, Commander of the Netherlands Maritime Forces. “Concluding AA25 in Halifax is a superb closure of this deployment as the city offers a lot for our crew.”
USS New York and HNLMS Johan de Witt participated alongside Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal (FFH 336) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ross (DDG 71), USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), and USS Mason (DDG 87) during AA25, showcasing international maritime interoperability with U.S., Dutch, Canadian and U.K. units.
“With AA25, we operated alongside our Marine counterparts and Allies along the East Coast, training our interoperability and interchangeability,” said Capt. Justin T. Issler, commanding officer of USS New York. “The New York crew has once again proven themselves warfighters in challenging maritime operations and we are excited to visit this great city.”
This port visit marks the completion of AA25 and strengthens bonds between Norfolk, V.A.-based U.S. warships New York and Normandy and the city of Halifax, Norfolk’s sister city.
