U.S.
GalleryUS Navy, Marine Corps and allied partners conclude large amphibious exercise in Western Atlantic
Stars and Stripes
July 15, 2025
From left to right, the Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New York, Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross, back, Rotterdam-class landing platform dock HNLMS Johan de Witt and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez cruise in formation during an exercise on July 5, 2025. (Jesse Turner/U.S. Navy)
The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and allied partners completed the largest amphibious exercise in the Western Atlantic in over a decade Tuesday, according to a service news release.
Atlantic Alliance 2025 began June 27 and included the U.S. 2nd Fleet and 2nd Marine Division, the Royal Netherlands Navy and Marines, and the United Kingdom Commandos. The exercise focused on force integration training, bilateral reconnaissance training, simulated naval strait transits and expeditionary advanced base operations training.
“AA25 was a robust, integrated all-domain awareness exercise combining U.S., Dutch, Canadian and U.K. afloat and ashore forces into an Allied Atlantic security force,” said Vice Adm. Doug Perry, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “I can’t overstate how valuable it has been to exercise here in the Continental United States, shoulder to shoulder with our allies, from the seabed to space.”
The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy, Rotterdam-class landing platform dock HNLMS Johan de Witt, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New York, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez steam in formation during exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on July 4, 2025. (Jesse Turner/U.S. Navy)
U.S. Marines with 2d Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, conduct an amphibious landing during Atlantic Alliance 2025 on Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, Va., June 30, 2025. (Joshua Kumakaw/U.S. Marine Corps)
Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Drake Anselmo attached to the “Sun Kings” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron 116 performs maintenance on a E-2C Hawkeye aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in support of Atlantic Alliance 2025 on June 29, 2025. (Francisco Lina/U.S. Navy)
U.S. Marines conduct a Combat Life Savers Course at Atlantic Alliance 2025 on July 9, 2025. (Kenneth Lambert/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, conduct an amphibious landing during Atlantic Alliance 2025 on Joint Expeditionary Base Fort Story, Va., June 30, 2025. (Joshua Kumakaw/U.S. Marine Corps)
Naval Air Crewman 3rd Class Zachary Wilbanks, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 46, assists with the landing of an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York during exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on July 4, 2025. (Jesse Turner/U.S. Navy)
Along the coast from North Carolina to Maine, 8,500 sailors, Marines and allied personnel conducted amphibious and air demonstrations, as well as naval maneuver exercises.
The exercise strengthened “allied interoperability,” which is essential to maintain Euro-Atlantic security, Perry said.
“AA25 was an incredible opportunity to integrate U.S Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with our allies and partners into one lethal littoral force,” said Canadian Rear Adm. David Patchell, Vice Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet.
Marines executed the full range of Marine Air-Ground Task Force capabilities aboard amphibious ships. As a combined joint force with allied nations, Marine units executed a range of amphibious capabilities from deterrence to sea control.
“Our Marines and sailors forcefully demonstrated their ability to fight in the maritime domain and win,” said Maj. Gen. Farrell Sullivan, commanding general, 2d Marine Division. “Exercises like AA25 are important to build and maintain readiness with our naval, joint and coalition partners.”
U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 4 Izzel Sanchez, visual information officer, II Marine Expeditionary Force, pilots a small unmanned aircraft system during an amphibious assault exercise as part of Atlantic Alliance 2025 in Fort Story, Va., June 30, 2025. (Thirteen Bahizi/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines and sailors with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, participate in a mass casualty evacuation simulation in support of exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on Bangor International Airport, Maine, July 10, 2025. (Grace Stover/U.S. Marine Corps)
Electronics Technician 3rd Class Caleb Phelps, left, and Retail Specialist Seaman Kevin Joshua Carranza, both assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, transit New York’s flight deck during exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on July 4, 2025. (Jesse Turner/U.S. Navy)
Royal Netherlands Marines disembark from an MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, June 29, 2025 during the Atlantic Alliance 2025 exercise. (Mya Seymour/U.S. Marine Corps)
Gunner’s Mate Seaman Ajante Harper, assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York inspects a .50-caliber machine gun while the ship conducts a simulated strait transit during the exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on July 3, 2025. (Jesse Turner/U.S. Navy)
Sailors perform a vertical replenishment aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush in support of exercise Atlantic Alliance 2025 on June 28, 2025. (Pierce Luck/U.S. Navy)
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 has prepared us for future NATO exercises,” said Rear Adm. George Pastoor, commander of the Netherlands Maritime Forces. “Our integration with U.S., U.K. and Canadian forces ensures a stronger maritime response and directly impacts the stability of the entire Atlantic.”
Ships participating in AA25 included the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, Rotterdam-class landing platform dock HNLMS Johan de Witt, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS New York, Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal, Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Normandy, Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Mason, USS Ross, and USS Gonzalez.