{"id":45101,"date":"2019-01-15T23:34:45","date_gmt":"2019-01-15T23:34:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2019\/01\/15\/why-a-spanish-frigate-will-help-protect-an-american-carrier\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:52:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:52:20","slug":"why-a-spanish-frigate-will-help-protect-an-american-carrier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2019\/01\/15\/why-a-spanish-frigate-will-help-protect-an-american-carrier\/","title":{"rendered":"Why a Spanish frigate will help protect an American flattop"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

NORFOLK \u2014 Part of a trend of European warships joining American aircraft carrier groups, the Spanish frigate M\u00e9ndez N\u00fa\u00f1ez arrived here Monday to begin two months of training to prep for a long deployment under US commanders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An \u00c1lvaro de Baz\u00e1n-class F100<\/a> multi-purpose frigate armed with the Aegis Combat System, the M\u00e9ndez N\u00fa\u00f1ez will become part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and participate in its upcoming Composite Training Unit Exercise, or \u201cCOMPTUEX<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, warships from Norway and Germany carried out similar training and a tour with the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn today\u2019s complex and dynamic maritime environment, we have to forge and employ strong partnerships to protect our mutual interests,\u201d said Capt. Sean Anderson, commander of the the Lincoln Carrier Strike Group\u2019s Destroyer Squadron 2 in an American press release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have been working with our Spanish partners for almost a year leading up to this COMPTUEX and cooperative deployment, and I can tell you, they are extremely professional and proficient. We will continue to learn from each other, which makes [Lincoln strike group] more formidable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t