Griffins at Rota

The US Navy continues with plans to rotate its Forward Deployed Naval Force-Europe (FDNF-E) ships with newer, modernized ships in order to posture the most capable forces forward in the US European Command (EUCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

This rotation is accompanied with the US Navy intentions to relocate a Helicopter Maritime Strike (HSM) squadron to Rota (Spain). The HSM will support of the destroyers, so they could enhance the multi-mission roles of these ships.

The rotation of the ships within 6th Fleet started in early 2020, but only on 5 December 2020, the first helicopters have arrived by C-17A (serial 06-6163 of 21st AS) at Rota. Two MH-60Rs of HSM-79 Griffins are now temporarly based at Rota.

The squadron is normally based at NAS North Island (CA) and saw its last deployement with Carrier Air Wing SEVEN, on board the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).  They are part of the Commander Helicopter Maritime Strike Wing, US Atlantic Fleet, and then carried the tail code/modex 'AG-7xx'. 

The duo that arrived at Rota is unmarked. It is unknown to us with how many helicopters and for what period the Griffins will stay at Rota.

Since early 2020, the CVW-7 is kind of homeless, as they are not assigned to a carrier. This happened as the Abe moved from homeport NAS Norfolk (VA) to San Diego (CA), a move that was completed on 20 January 2020.

Photo by HSM-79