Source: United States Navy
The ship’s presence demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s continued commitment to collective defense of the NATO Alliance and reinforces the strong bond between the United States and Norway.
“The crew and I are excited about our visit to Oslo,” said Cmdr. Christopher Petro, Porter’s commanding officer. “This is a great opportunity and we look forward to interacting with the people of Norway as we experience their rich history and culture. I am sure it will be an enriching experience for all.”
Porter recently began its 11th Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol as one of four destroyers based out of Naval Station Rota, Spain. The ship made a previous stop in Runavik, Faroe Islands and will continue operating alongside Allies and Partners during the patrol.
U.S. Navy ships and Sailors have trained and operated alongside their Norwegian counterparts multiple times in previous months. U.S. Marines and Sailors participated in exercise Cold Response 2022 in Norway earlier this year, while elements of the USS Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 22 Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conducted a month-long bilateral training alongside their Norwegian counterparts last month.
As a founding member of NATO, Norway plays a pivotal role in security and cohesion on the Alliance’s northern flank. Opportunities for the U.S. and Norway to engage on a bilateral and multilateral basis, such as military exercises and port visits, continue to strengthen the mutually strategic relationship.
Four U.S. Navy destroyers are based in Rota, Spain and are assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These FDNF-E ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.
For over 80 years, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-U.S. Naval Forces Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) has forged strategic relationships with our Allies and Partners, leveraging a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.