A US navy guided missile destroyer, the USS Donald Cook, has passed through the Straits of the Dardanelles and is on its way to the Black Sea. A statement by the US Sixth Fleet, based in Naples, said the U.S. Navy routinely operates in the Black Sea consistent with the Montreux Convention and international law. The ship "will conduct maritime security operations and enhance regional maritime stability, combined readiness and naval capability with our NATO allies and partners in the region", the statement added.
"The United States and the U.S. Navy continue to stand alongside our allies and partners in support of shared regional interests and maritime stability," said Cmdr. Matthew J. Powel, commanding officer of Donald Cook. "Our arrival into the Black Sea will showcase the Navy's interoperability in pursuit of common security objectives in this region.
The USS Donald Cook has performed duties in the Black Sea on several occasions in the last five years. Its visits are usually closely monitored by Russian air and naval forces. The USS Donald Cook is normally based at the US Naval Station in Rota, Spain.
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source: commonspace.eu
photo: USS Guided Missile Destroyer Donald Cook (archive picture)
