According to information released by the U.S. DoD (Department of Defense) on August 28, 2020, the U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) has conducted naval military exercises with the Spanish Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, Aug. 26, 2020.
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U.S. Navy Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) sails in the Mediterranean Sea after participating in a vertical replenishment-at-sea exercise with the Spanish frigate Álvaro de Bazán (F 101), Aug. 26, 2020.(Picture source U.S. Navy)
U.S. Navy USS Philippine Sea and the Spanish Navy frigate Álvaro de Bazán (F 101) conducted the exercises to build partner capability using NATO operational and tactical procedures. The U.S. Navy routinely trains with allied and partner nations in order to enhance maneuverability capabilities and interoperability by establishing communication and safety standards that strengthen regional maritime security.
The USS Philippine Sea is currently deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of regional allies and partners and U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts joint and naval operations in order to support regional allies and partners and U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.
The USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) is a Flight II Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser on active service in the United States Navy. She was built by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. Her keel was laid on 8 April 1986 and she was launched on 12 July 1987. Upon completion of her sea-trials after construction, Philippine Sea transferred to the Atlantic Fleet and was commissioned on 18 March 1989 in Portland, Maine.
The Ticonderoga class of guided-missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in the 1978 fiscal year. A total of 27 Ticonderoga Class (CG 47 – CG 73) Aegis guided-missile cruisers were built between 1983 and 1994 by Ingalls Shipbuilding at Pascagoula, Mississippi and Bath Iron Works.
The USS Philippine Sea is armed with 2 × 61 cell Mk 41 vertical launch systems containing 122 × mix of RIM-66M-5 Standard SM-2MR Block IIIB, RIM-156A SM-2ER Block IV, RIM-161 SM-3, RIM-162A ESSM, RIM-174A Standard ERAM, BGM-109 Tomahawk and RUM-139A VL-ASROC. The ship is also armed with eight RGM-84 Harpoon missiles, two 5 inches (127 mm)/62 caliber Mark 45 Mod 4 lightweight gun, two 25 mm (0.98 in) Mk 38 gun, eight .50 in (12.7 mm) cal. machine guns, two Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) Block 1B and to Mk 32 12.75 in (324 mm) triple torpedo tubes.
The USS Philippine Sea can carry two Sikorsky SH-60B or MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters.
The Álvaro de Bazán class, also known as the F100 class, is a class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defence frigates in service with the Spanish Navy. The vessels were built by Spanish shipbuilder Navantia in Ferrol, with the lead ship of the class named for Admiral Álvaro de Bazán.
Citing Navy-Technology website, Spanish Navy Álvaro de Bazán frigate has two four-celled Boeing Harpoon anti-ship missile systems. Harpoon is a medium-range missile with a range of 120km, 220kg warhead and active radar terminal guidance. The surface-to-air missile system is the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM) developed by an international team led by Raytheon. She is also armed with the BAE Systems, Land & Armaments (formerly United Defense) mk45 mod 2 gun controlled by the DORNA radar / electro-optic fire control system from FABA.
Álvaro de Bazán frigate also has a close-in weapon system (CIWS) 20mm Meroka 2B, two mk32 double torpedo launchers for mk46 lightweight torpedoes and two anti-ship mortars.
