Robles visits the ‘USS Oscar Austin’ in Rota, the fifth US destroyer at the naval base

Eduardo González The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, visited the ship ‘USS Oscar Austin’ this Friday, at the Rota Naval Base, which has joined the NATO anti-missile shield - which already included four other US ships in the same facilities - in application of the agreement reached between the President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, and the President of the United States, Joe Biden, during the Alliance summit in Madrid in 2022. According to Defense, dock number 1 of the Rota Naval Base has been hosting the ship ‘USS Oscar Austin’ since last Wednesday, “which materializes the commitment of the US Navy to Spain to improve maritime security operations together with its allies in Europe and Africa.” “We are living through very difficult times, hence the importance of collaborating to work for peace,” said the minister during the visit, in which she stressed the importance of anti-aircraft defence in the current international situation and highlighted the good relations between Spain and the US, both bilaterally and within the framework of NATO. “Rota is a privileged access point to the most interesting global scenarios, and the arrival of the new ship is in compliance with the agreement that Spain and the United States signed in 2022 within the framework of the NATO Summit held in Madrid,” recalled the Ministry. The visit included a session by the head of operations, Lieutenant Shannon Linsey, on the characteristics of the ship, its duties and missions, as well as a tour of its rooms; commander's chamber, bridge, combat information centre (CIC), kitchen, dining rooms, hangar and flight deck. In her words to the crew, the Minister welcomed them to Rota and wished them luck in the work they have to do, “because I know it is difficult, but I also know that they will feel at home here.” According to the Ministry, the incorporation of the ‘USS Oscar Austin’ represents, in addition to the improvement of operational and training capabilities, a significant impact on the economy, estimated at 280 million euros, “taking into account the employment opportunities that its logistics and maintenance will generate.” “Precisely this aspect has been highly valued by the US Navy, satisfied by the work carried out for ten years with the previous ships, and which has shown a special interest in the recently inaugurated Manufacturing and Repair Specialization Center (CESFARE) of the Navy,” she added. The minister was received on her arrival in Rota by the Admiral in charge of the Cadiz Arsenal and the Rota Naval Base (ALARDIZ), Rubén Rodríguez Peña, as well as by the Commander of the Aircraft Flotilla (COMFLOAN), Antonio Núñez Rodríguez. On the visit she was accompanied by the Mayor of Rota, José Javier Ruiz Arana; the Government Subdelegate in Cadiz, Blanca del Pilar Flores Cueto, and the President of the Spanish Section of the Permanent Spanish-North American Committee (PRECOPE), Santiago Vila Barrón. The USS Oscar Austin is the first of two additional destroyers whose presence in Spain was agreed upon by Pedro Sánchez with Joe Biden during the NATO summit, held in Madrid in June 2022. The second of the additional ships is expected to arrive in 2026. In addition, the USS Oscar Austin joins the four destroyers (USS Carney, USS Donald Cook, USS Porter and USS Ross) of the European command that the US Navy maintains permanently at the Rota base, along with some 3,200 soldiers, and whose arrival began in 2014. The USS Oscar Austin is a multi-purpose ship designed to carry out various missions, including defense against submarine, air and surface threats, as well as the interception of ballistic missiles. In addition, it provides support in maritime security operations and other contingency actions. With a crew of 329 people, the 'USS Oscar Austin' belongs to the 'Arleigh Burke' class, is equipped with the AEGIS radar system, and can carry two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, which support anti-submarine warfare missions.

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