 The Etsy portion of Saharan Express 2014 began Monday off the West African coast. The U.S. Navy partnered with African and European naval forces during the fourth annual exercise. Saharan Express is a maritime exercise to improve cooperation and operational strategies among nations. Fourteen partner nations are participating in the Etsy portion of the exercise. The Navy's first joint high-speed vessel, USNS Spearhead, is one of eleven ships participating in Saharan Express. The exercise includes training scenarios in medical response, radio communication, and information sharing. These scenarios simulate actual operations for counter piracy and trafficking activities. This training aligns with one of the CNO's tenants to operate forward while strengthening partnerships with U.S. allies. From the Defense Media Activity, I'm Petty Officer Jen Blake.