The US destroyer Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) moored at Kiel-Wik naval base on Wednesday morning after arriving from the central Baltic Sea. The ship, which was commissioned on 4 July 1991, has been part of the US Navy's Forward Deployed Naval Force-Europe (FDNF-E) since the second week of April and is stationed in Rota (Spain).
The Arleigh Burke had previously left its previous home base in Norfolk on 26 March 2021 for the transfer voyage. According to the Navy, the 154-metre-long unit, which displaces over 8,300 tonnes, was equipped with the Aegis Combat System Baseline 9. The type ship, which belongs to the 6th Fleet, is under the command of Commander Patrick Chapman.
In addition to the Arleigh Burke, the sister ships USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Ross (DDG 71) and USS Porter (DDG 78) belong to the FDNF-E stationed in Rota. According to OSINT-AIS data, the destroyer left the Rota base on 3 May and has been operating in the Baltic Sea since 8 May. The reason for the visit to the Kiel-Wik naval base is to resupply the unit. On arrival, the destroyer met up with the task force supply ship Bonn (A 1413), which is also currently in Kiel, and the frigate Rheinland-Pfalz (F 225) of the German Navy.
Text & Photos: Michael Nitz
English 
German
0 Kommentare