USS Porter Begins Ninth FNDF-E Patrol

14 January 2021

From Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Damon Grosvenor, NPASE East Det. Europe

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, on its ninth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, Jan. 12.

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NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain - The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) departed Naval Station Rota, Spain, on its ninth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, Jan. 12.

210112-N-BM428-0024 ROTA, Spain (Jan. 12, 2021) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) transits the Bay of Cadiz after departing from Rota, Spain for its ninth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, Jan. 12, 2021. Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its ninth patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

210112-N-BM428-0010 ROTA, Spain (Jan. 12, 2021) The Ensign is flown from the mast of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) after getting underway from Rota, Spain, Jan. 12, 2021. Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its ninth patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

210112-N-BM428-0002 ROTA, Spain (Jan. 12, 2021) Sailors stand watch as the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) departs Rota, Spain for its ninth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, Jan. 12, 2021. Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its ninth patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

210112-N-BM428-0001 ROTA, Spain (Jan. 12, 2021) The Flag of Spain flies aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) while the ship departs from Rota, Spain for its ninth Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol, Jan. 12, 2021. Porter, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is on its ninth patrol in the U.S. 6th fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

Porter is scheduled to work alongside regional partners in various training exercises and conduct maritime security operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.

“Porter is more than ready to make this patrol a success,” said Cmdr. Thomas Ralston, commanding officer of Porter. “No matter where the mission takes us, we will be ready.”

During the COVID-19 global pandemic, Porter’s crew accomplished necessary maintenance while continuing social distancing measures and adhering to minimal manning procedures.

Porter’s eight patrol, which spanned from April to July of 2020, included at-sea training with the Romanian Navy in the Black Sea; joint interoperability exercises with the Italian and French navies in the Mediterranean Sea; operations within a Surface Action Group with the Royal Navy in the High North and Barents Sea; passing exercises (PASSEXes) with the Tunisian Navy; exercise Sea Breeze 2020 with Ukrainian, Romanian, Turkish, Georgian, Bulgarian, and Spanish Navies; and a Black Sea protection operation with NATO and other U.S. European Command components that focused on both Joint and NATO interoperability.

Porter 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.

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