KITTERY, Maine — U.S. Navy ships will conduct anti-terrorism exercises this week near the mouth of the Piscataqua River.
Exercise Citadel Protect will take place near Gunboat Shoal Buoy No. 1, according to a release from Naval Sea Systems Command and Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
The exercise is designed to enhance the training and readiness of Navy harbor security forces, according to the release, and is a regularly-scheduled exercise and not in response to any specific threat.
Marked U.S. Navy harbor patrol boats and Facility Response Team boats will conduct the training using blank ammunition on September 24 and 26.
Residents of Rye, Newcastle and Portsmouth, New Hampshire, may hear noise from the blank ammunition being fired.
The U.S. Coast Guard will issue notice to mariners hourly while the exercises take place.
