The USNS Bob Hope arrived just off the coast of Durres, Albania, April 26, 2021, where it was greeted by the crew of the U.S. Army Logistics Support Vessel MG Charles P. Gross. Both crews will participate in the theater opening exercise of DEFENDER-Europe 21, which features operations that will transfer more than 800 pieces of heavy equipment onto land to be used in a variety of multinational training exercises.