JULY 13, 2026 – Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) arrived in Mersin, Türkiye, for a scheduled port visit, July 10, 2026.
Roosevelt’s arrival underscores a shared dedication to regional security and lasting commitment to our decades-long NATO partnership.
“This port visit marks a significant milestone as we return a U.S. Navy ship to Türkiye for the first time in nearly two years,” said Vice. Adm. J. T. Anderson, commander of U.S. Sixth Fleet. “Our enduring relations with Türkiye is essential as we collaborate to maintain readiness and ensure stability across the Mediterranean.”
“Great alliances are proven in the day-to-day,” stated Thomas Barrack Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq. “This week in Ankara, NATO reaffirmed what President Trump and President Erdoğan have long understood: Türkiye is not a partner on the margins, it is our valued ally. The USS Roosevelt visiting Mersin is our alliance at work.”
A strategic U.S. security partner, Türkiye has been a valued NATO ally since 1952 and graciously hosts nearly two thousand U.S. service members conducting operations ranging from ballistic missile defense to the support of defeat-ISIS operations.
“We are incredibly grateful to our Turkish allies for their generous hospitality in welcoming Roosevelt to Mersin,” said Cmdr. R. J. DaPrato, commanding officer of Roosevelt. “As a forward-deployed destroyer, our operational readiness relies on strong NATO partnerships like this one, and I could not be prouder of our hardworking crew who make this mission possible every single day.”
Roosevelt is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness and readiness of Naval Forces Europe and Africa and defend U.S., allied and partner interests in the region.
Roosevelt is one of the forward-deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) destroyers assigned to Commander Task Force 65 as part of the U.S. Navy’s support to NATO’s integrated air missile defense architecture.
FDNF-E ships demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s flexibility to operate throughout Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, supporting security and stability in the maritime domain.
For over 80 years, NAVEURAF has forged strategic relationships with allies and partners, strengthening a foundation of shared values to preserve security and stability.
Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEURAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. U.S. 6th Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEURAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations.
From U.S. Sixth Fleet Public Affairs