NORTH SEA (June 10, 2021) The Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) sails in the North Sea, June 10, 2021 during exercise BALTOPS 50. The 50th BALTOPS represents a continuous, steady commitment to reinforcing interoperability within NATO and providing collective maritime security in the Baltic Sea. Mount Whitney, forward deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaila V. Peters)