US Navy’s forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) got underway Naval Station Rota, Spain, on April 2 to start its fifth patrol in the US 6th Fleet area of operations.
“We are excited to be heading out on our fifth patrol. The crew has completed a lot of hard work and training while we were in port over the last four months, and the ship is ready to meet all tasking,” said Cmdr. John V. Tobin, commanding officer, USS Porter.
Porter is deploying after completing a 60-day Surface Incremental Availability (SIA) at the Rota naval base in Spain in June last year. The ship is one of four US Navy forward deployed guided-missile destroyers in charge of supporting NATO’s regional security and ballistic missile defense efforts.