Navy destroyer USS Carney arrived at its new home in southern Spain on Friday (25 September, 2015), the fourth American multi-mission ship to be stationed in Europe and contribute to NATO’s ballistic missile defence shield.
“The arrival of the USS Carney marks an important step for European security and for transatlantic cooperation,” said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. “The four missile defence ships are key for building up Europe’s protection against ballistic missile threats. I thank the United States for their significant contribution to keeping our nations safe“, Mr. Stoltenberg concluded.
The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney is the last of four ships the United States Navy has deployed to Europe. USS Carney will join her sister ships of the same class at the naval station in Rota: USS Donald Cook, USS Porter and USS Ross. Each ship has advanced sensor capabilities and interceptor missiles which can detect and shoot down ballistic missiles. They will also conduct a wide variety of other tasks including security operations, search & rescue, multinational training and exercises, and NATO operations and deployments.
In response to the growing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles, NATO Heads of State and Government, decided in 2010 that NATO will develop a missile defence capability to protect all NATO European populations and territory against missile attacks. NATO missile defence draws on voluntary contributions from Allies, linking together national satellites, ships, radars and interceptor missiles under NATO command for specific tasks and periods.
