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NEWS | April 12, 2021

USS Arleigh Burke, Newest FDNF ship, arrives in homeport Rota, Spain

By USS Arleigh Burke Public Affairs

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) arrived in its new homeport, Naval Station Rota, Spain, as the U.S. Navy’s newest Forward Deployed Naval Forces- Europe destroyer, April 11, 2021.

Prior to arriving in Rota, Arleigh Burke operated with USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), Virginia-class attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN 792), and P-8A maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft to conduct multi-domain anti-submarine warfare operations in the Atlantic.

“To USS Arleigh crew and family, I extend a warm welcome to the Sixth Fleet team,” said Vice Adm. Gene Black, commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. “Arleigh Burke deployed with my strike group, and I am honored to have this mighty warship, with its newly upgraded capabilities, join our destroyer squadron in Spain. In the great words of Adm. Arleigh Burke, ‘this ship is built to fight,’ and as the first ship in its class, USS Arleigh Burke maintains a remarkable naval legacy.”  

USS Arleigh Burke was the first U.S. Navy ship equipped with the AEGIS Combat System and arrives Sixth Fleet with the latest baseline 9 upgrades. This enables effective anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and strike operations in high-threat environments.

“As one of the most technologically advanced destroyers in the entire United States Navy, we are excited to provide additional capability to Sixth Fleet operations,” said Cmdr. Patrick Chapman, commanding officer, USS Arleigh Burke. “However, even stronger than the technology we have been outfitted with is the strength of our crew. Every day we train to be the most effective crew possible – one that is ready for sustained forward presence in the Sixth Fleet area of operations.”

With an Aegis weapon system, USS Arleigh Burke brings the U.S. Navy’s top-of-the-line capabilities to the U.S. European Phased Adaptive Approach and NATO’s robust integrated air missile defense architecture. USS Arleigh Burke will support these missions, while patrolling the waters surrounding Europe and Africa, ensuring freedom of navigation in critical waterways.

USS Arleigh Burke will replace USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) as part of several scheduled homeport shifts to occur in support of the U.S. Navy’s long-range plan to gradually rotate the four Rota-based destroyers. The first rotation occurred in spring of 2020 when USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) replaced USS Carney (DDG 64).

USS Aleigh Burke is named after the late Adm. Arleigh Albert Burke who served valiantly in World War II and the Korean War, before ultimately serving as the Chief of Naval Operations, the highest ranking U.S. Navy position.

Prior to transiting the Atlantic, USS Arleigh Burke took coronavirus-related precautions to ensure the crew arrived in theater safe and healthy.  

USS Arlegh Burke will operate under Commander, Task Force 65 and Destroyer Squadron 60, headquartered in Rota, Spain, which oversees the forward-deployed ships in U.S. Sixth Fleet’s area of operation in support of regional allies and partners, as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.  

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

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