Two U.S. warships have arrived in the Black Sea and will be prepared to offer assistance in the case of a security emergency at the Sochi Olympic Games, U.S. officials said Wednesday. The USS Mount Whitney, a command ship for the Navy's Mediterranean fleet, arrived Tuesday after departing its port in Naples, Italy over the weekend, officials said. With a crew of 300, the vessel has sophisticated communications equipment and a helicopter landing deck. The second ship, the USS Taylor, is a frigate that arrived in the area Wednesday, carrying a crew of about 200. "Both ships will perform routine operations in the Black Sea to establish and enhance cooperation, mutual training, and interoperability with regional partner nations and allies," the Navy said in a statement.
