NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain –
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) began its third scheduled Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations, Dec. 11, 2021.
The ship departed Naval Station Rota, Spain earlier in the week in support of a helicopter certification event for Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79. HSM 79 will accompany Roosevelt during its patrol.
Over the next several months, Roosevelt is scheduled to participate in various training exercises with allied and partner nations and will conduct maritime operations in support of national security interests in Europe and Africa.
“Now on our third patrol in Sixth Fleet, the Roosevelt crew has fully adapted and risen to the challenges of operating on a forward-deployed, ballistic missile defense-capable warship,” said Cmdr. John Mastriani, commanding officer of Roosevelt. “We have trained and improved on all fronts, and we are more ready than ever before to return to sea in support of all tasking that comes our way.”
Roosevelt’s crew completed their second FDNF-E patrol, Aug. 2021. During the patrol, the ship participated in the live-fire Integrated Air and Missile Defense exercise Formidable Shield 2021, Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 50 and exercise Shark Hunt.
These exercises brought Roosevelt alongside multiple NATO allies and partners throughout the theater in a variety of different ways. This diversity of exercises highlights the overall capability and cohesion of the NATO alliance.
Over just a few months, Roosevelt operated in the East Mediterranean, into the Black Sea, to the Baltic Sea and above the Arctic Circle in support of its national and allied interests, working effectively alongside allied and partner nations.
"Patrol Two gave our team the opportunity to participate in several high end warfare exercises with our allies," said Mastriani. "My crew is trained and ready to operate during this upcoming deployment. We'll continue to push the envelope of warfare development and interoperability with our allies and partners over the winter. The opportunity to fulfill our mission in this
dynamic environment is both a duty and a privilege that we do not take lightly."
Roosevelt completed its first FDNF-E patrol, Oct. 2020, after arriving at Naval Station Rota to join the FDNF-E force in April of 2020. The ship replaced fellow Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64).
Roosevelt is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These FDNF-E ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.
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.