The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) arrived in Faslane, Scottland, for scheduled port visit Sept. 29.

This is Donald Cook's 3rd port visit of their 6th forward-deployed patrol. While in port Donald Cook is scheduled to participate in a community relations project, receive supplies and fuel, and finish final preparations for exercise Formidable Shield 2017.

"Faslane should be a great port for us and the ship giving us a quick look at how some of our NATO allies live their lives on a daily basis while also giving us a chance to taste some of their local food," said Chief Personnel Specialist Morlan Adams. "I also think this will give us a great chance to show our ambassadorship and build stronger ties for future exercises like Formidable Shield 2017."

Formidable Shield is designed to improve allied interoperability in a live-fire integrated air and missile defense environment, using NATO command-and-control reporting structures.

"I am looking forward to pulling into Faslane because I am really excited to explore new territory that I have never been to and be able to experience new cultures," said Religious Programs Specialist 3rd Class Skyla Baldacci. "I think it's going to be a great stop and I look forward to the rest of the deployment because of all the cool things we are supposed to do especially with exercise Formidable Shield and the missile launch, it should be a once and a life time experience."

The U.S. 6th Fleet will lead the exercise Formidable Shield 17, Sept. 24 - Oct. 18, 2017, at the U.K. Ministry of Defense's Hebrides Range located on the Western Isles of Scotland.

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States are scheduled to participate in this exercise.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/.