The Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook, one U.S. Navy P-8 Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft out of Sigonella, Italy and NATO E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft based out of Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany, participated in the training. 

CAOC Torrejón is fully committed to executing its missions. We are ready as one team for new challenges this year

CAOC Torrejón coordinated the event with the objective to test and reinforce the connectivity functions of the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System in the Black Sea region.

“CAOC Torrejón is fully committed to executing its missions, despite COVID-19. My staff has carried out Air Policing and all Defence and Deterrence activities, including the exercises planned for 2020 with effective safety measures in place,” said Lieutenant General Fernando de la Cruz Commander CAOC Torrejón. “We are ready as one team for new challenges this year,” he added.

The CAOC staff observed as USS Donald Cook began her northbound transit from the Mediterranean Sea to the Black Sea on January 23 to work with NATO Allies and partners in training missions throughout the region. She was overwatched by the NATO AWACS aircraft during the exercise to provide enhanced situational awareness.

Participating units conducted training scenarios to establish air and maritime superiority, which enable freedom of navigation in all international air and water spaces. 

“Integrated maritime operations demonstrate our ability to seamlessly combine capabilities to provide multi-layered defence across all warfare domains,” said Vice Admiral Gene Black, Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet. “We operate in an incredibly complex security environment, which demands high-level cooperation and commitment to ensure regional stability,” he added. 

We operate in an incredibly complex security environment, which demands high-level cooperation and commitment to ensure regional stability

Donald Cook is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed U.S. Naval Forces-Europe ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle.

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