US Navy destroyer visits Estonia
United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer the USS Porter arrived in Tallinn Monday morning, for a scheduled visit.
Commander of the Estonian Navy (Merevägi) Cdr. Jüri Saska said: "I'm issuing a greeting to our great allies, the U.S. In the coming year, we will be carrying out an increasing amount of cooperation work with them; port visits like this one are an irreplaceable part of that."
The USS Porter (DDG-78) will replenish stocks and prepare for its next task while in Tallinn. At the same time, members of the Porter's crew plan on taking party in volunteer and charity work, in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy in Tallinn, while in port.
The USS Porter's commander, Cdr. Joe Hamilton, said ahead of the visit that: "We are grateful for the opportunity to get to see Estonia, and to further strengthen relations with a key NATO ally."
"This is a great chance for our crew to get to experience Estonian culture, and to meet with the people of Tallinn," Cdr. Hamilton went on, via an Estonian Defense Forces press release.
The Estonian Navy will be providing security for the USS Porter while in dock, along with two force protection vessels, EML Risto and EML Roland.
Members of the volunteer Defense League's Meredivisjon, Tallinn Defense District, along with reservists, will support the efforts also.
The USS Porter's visit is the second by a U.S. Navy ship to Estonia so far this year. In January, the USS Roosevelt, a destroyer of the same Arleigh Burke class, visited also.
The USS Porter was commissioned in 1999 and is the fifth U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name, after father and son officer duo Commodore David Porter (1780-1843) and Admiral David Dixon Porter 1813–1891.
The Arleigh Burke class consists of guided-missile destroyers (DDGs).
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Editor: Andrew Whyte