USS Donald Cook To Depart for Homeport Shift to Rota, Spain

USS Donald Cook will depart its homeport of Norfolk, Va., Jan. 31 on its way to Rota, Spain, as the first of four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers to be stationed there, the Defense Department announced Jan. 30.

To enhance the security of the European region, three additional ballistic missile defense-capable destroyers — USS Ross and USS Porter, also from Norfolk, and USS Carney from Mayport, Fla., will join Donald Cook over the course of the next two years.

“The U.S. has a historically strong partnership with Spain, and the strength of that relationship is exemplified today as the first of four U.S. Navy destroyers departs for Rota, Spain,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in the DoD release.

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