PLYMOUTH, England –
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) arrived in Plymouth, England October 13, 2023 for a scheduled port visit, to enhance U.S.-U.K relations and build NATO cohesion.
The ship’s presence in the English Channel is a demonstration of the U.S. Navy’s continued commitment to collective defense of the European region and reinforces the strong bond between the United States and England.
“No one nation can do everything and we must continue to improve our relationship with our partners and allies,” said Cmdr. Corry Lougee, commanding officer of USS Paul Ignatius. “In my opinion, the only way to do this, is to actually operate together and build personal relationships.”
Paul Ignatius is on patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. She began her current patrol in late May and has sailed throughout the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Baltic Sea prior to today’s port visit.
As NATO allies, the U.S. and English Navies routinely operate together to build combined maritime interoperability.
“We previously operated with our NATO allies and partners during BALTOPS 23, as well as the French and Moroccans earlier in Patrol, and we enjoyed every minute of it,” said Lougee. “Any opportunity we can work with and learn from navies across the region, we take it.”
The ship is named for former Secretary of the Navy Paul Ignatius and was commissioned on July 27th, 2019.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. 6th Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
U.S. 6th 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.