USS John Basilone arrives in Cadiz: sixth US Navy destroyer joins Rota Naval Base

The Arleigh Burke-class warship is shifting its homeport from Naval Station Mayport in Florida to the strategic Spanish facility. An official welcome ceremony hosted by the Spanish Navy is scheduled for 1pm at Pier 1 inside Rota Naval Base.

The permanent deployment of the John Basilone fulfills the bilateral defense agreement struck at the June 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid between US President Joe Biden and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, which approved expanding Rota's Destroyer Squadron 60 from four to six warships.

The arrival of the first additional warship, the USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79), took place on 16 October 2024. Two years later, the arrival of the John Basilone completes the agreed expansion structure.

The arrival adds more than 300 service members and their dependents to the local American community surrounding the base, joining approximately 6,000 US military personnel, civilian contractors, and family members already residing in Rota and the Bay of Cadiz.

Constructed by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, the USS John Basilone is a Flight IIA variant of the Arleigh Burke class. Measuring 155 metres in length with a beam of 20 metres, the ship has a full-load displacement of over 9,200 tonnes.

Powered by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines generating power across two shafts, the vessel achieves top speeds in excess of 31 knots (57 km/h). Engineered for multi-domain warfare, the destroyer handles anti-air, anti-submarine, and surface combat operations, integrated with the Aegis combat system for advanced missile defense capabilities.

The warship officially entered active service on 9 November 2024. It is named in honor of US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroic actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II before dying in action at Iwo Jima in 1945.

With the addition of the John Basilone, the full complement of six US destroyers stationed at Rota comprises the USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79), USS Roosevelt (DDG-80), USS Bulkeley (DDG-84), USS Paul Ignatius (DDG-117), and USS John Basilone (DDG-122).