USS John Basilone has arrived in Spain / The destroyer will reinforce NATO’s missile shield in Europe

Emese Grancsa

15 October 2026, 12:08

International

Credit: DOD Photo / Alamy / Profimedia

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The U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS John Basilone (DDG 122) arrived Wednesday at its new home port, the joint Spanish-American naval base in Rota, southwestern Spain. The ship will join U.S. naval forces operating in Europe and will help strengthen NATO’s missile shield.

John Basilone is the sixth American destroyer stationed in Rota, following the agreement signed by the United States and Spain in June 2022 to expand the deployment from four to six ships. The destroyer will be officially welcomed on Thursday.

Admiral J.T. Anderson, commander of the U.S. Sixth Fleet, welcomed the crew upon arrival. The ship changed its home port from Naval Station Mayport, Florida, to Rota.

Commissioned at the end of 2024, USS John Basilone is a multi-mission ship capable of conducting air defense, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare operations. The ship’s commander said the crew is seeking to integrate into the local community and cooperate with Spanish partners to strengthen the United States’ deterrence capability.

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Context: The USA is expanding its naval presence in Europe, while NATO is strengthening its air defenses and eastern flank

Alongside the naval deployments, NATO announced the reinforcement of its military presence on the eastern flank in response to recent security incidents, including the downing of Russian drones in Romania and the crash of the remnants of a ballistic missile in Poland. The Alliance indicated that the measures aim to transition to an expanded integrated air defense system capable of responding to various threats, such as drones and missiles.

In this context, Spain was mentioned as having a contingent that includes fighter aircraft and equipment to counter threats, while the deployments are presented as necessary to maintain a constant presence. At the same time, other NATO states were described as expected to increase their contributions in the region through the deployment of aircraft and personnel.