Keywords: US Navy 030615-N-4374S-013 Flight deck crewmembers assigned to the Aegis cruiser USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) refuel the Russian K-27 Helix.jpg en Baltic Sea Jun 15 2003 -- Flight deck crewmembers assigned to the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Vella Gulf CG 72 refuel the Russian KA-27 Helix helicopter on the ship s flight deck during the annual maritime exercise Baltic Operations BALTOPS 2003 The United States and 12 other nations are participating in this year's exercise BALTOPS 2003 is intended to improve interoperability between allies and Partnership for Peace countries by conducting a peace support operation at sea including exercises in gunnery replenishment-at-sea undersea warfare radar tracking mine countermeasures seamanship search and rescue maritime interdiction operations and scenarios dealing with potentially real world crises U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg RELEASED 2003-06-15 030615-N-4374S-013 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 8086 U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Michael Sandberg PD-USGov-Military-Navy Aboard USS Vella Gulf CG-72 BALTOPS 2003 Kamov Ka-27 Aircraft fueling |