U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa
June 17, 2022

USS Paul Ignatius, Newest FDNF-E Ship, Arrives in Homeport Rota, Spain

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) arrived in its new homeport of Naval Station Rota, Spain, as the U.S. Navy’s newest Forward Deployed Naval Forces–Europe (FDNF-E) destroyer, June 17, 2022.

Prior to arriving in Rota, Paul Ignatius operated alongside British, Canadian, French, German, and Norwegian allies as part of exercises Cable Car and Green Light. The ship also conducted port visits in Ponta Delgada, Portugal and Bergen, Norway. In the Baltic Sea, Paul Ignatius integrated with the 2nd Marine Division and the Kearsarge Amphibious Readiness Group with embarked Amphibious Squadron Six and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ship also conducted interoperability exercises with the USS Sioux City (LCS 11) during the inaugural deployment of a Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship to Fifth and Sixth Fleet areas of operation.

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Commissioned in 2019, Paul Ignatius is the second of eight Flight IIA “technology insertion” ships, bringing enhanced capability and technological advancements to U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Destroyer Squadron 60. The ship is the 67th Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer….

Photo: U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa