On 16 February 2012, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced Donald Cook was to be one of four ships to be homeported at Naval Station Rota, Spain.[4] In January 2014, the Navy announced that the ship would arrive there in mid-February 2014.[5] In Rota she forms part of Destroyer Squadron 60.
In 2016, four destroyers patrolling with the U.S. 6th Fleet based in Naval Station Rota, Spain, including Donald Cook received self-protection upgrades, replacing the aft Phalanx CIWS 20 mm Vulcan cannon with the SeaRAM 11-cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher. The SeaRam uses the same sensor dome as the Phalanx. This was the first time the close-range ship defense system was paired with an Aegis ship. All four ships to receive the upgrade were either Flight I or II, meaning they originally had two Phalanx CIWS systems when launched.[7]
On 24 February 2012, Donald Cook was awarded the 2011 Battle Efficiency "E" award.[8] On 9 April 2014, U.S. military officials confirmed the deployment of Donald Cook to the Black Sea,[9] shortly after Russia's annexation of Crimea and amid the pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine. The U.S. Department of Defense's official statement said that the vessel's mission was "to reassure NATO allies and Black Sea partners of America’s commitment to strengthen and improve interoperability, while working towards mutual goals in the region".[10] On 10 April 2014, the warship was reported to have entered the Black Sea.[citation needed] On 12 April 2014, an unarmed Russian Su-24 "Fencer" strike aircraft made 12 close-range passes of Donald Cook during a patrol of the western Black Sea.[11][12] According to an allegation by a Pentagon spokesman, "The aircraft did not respond to multiple queries and warnings from Donald Cook, and the event ended without incident after approximately 90 minutes." Further, Donald Cook is more than capable of defending herself against a pair of Su-24s.[13] In 2014, Russia's state-run news-media outlets ran a series of reports that falsely asserted that during that incident, the Su-24, equipped with the Khibinyelectronic warfare system, had disabled the ship's Aegis combat systems. The misinformation was later picked up by British tabloid The Sun and by Fox News, and later reported as Russian propaganda by The New York Times.[14]
On 14 April 2014, Donald Cook visited Constanta, Romania, where President Traian Băsescu had a tour of the ship. Donald Cook then conducted various exercises in concert with the Romanian Navy before departing the Black Sea on 24 April 2014.[15] On 26 December 2014, for the second time, according to the U.S. Navy, the destroyer entered the Black Sea to reassure and demonstrate U.S. commitment to work closely with NATO allies.[16]Donald Cook participated in exercises with the Turkish Navy, including an underway replenishment and other exercises with the Yavuz-classfrigate TCG Fatih on 28 December 2014. The ship visited Constanta, Romania, on 30 December and Varna, Bulgaria, on 8 January 2015. She also participated in exercises with Ukrainian Navy ship Hetman Sahaydachniy on 11 January 2015, and then departed the Black Sea on 14 January 2015.[17]
A Russian Sukhoi Su-24 attack aircraft makes a very-low-altitude pass by USS Donald Cook on 12 April 2016.Video released by the US Navy of the encounter with the Sukhoi Su-24
On 11 and 12 April 2016, two Russian Su-24s performed several low-altitude passes on Donald Cook while the ship was conducting exercises with a Polish helicopter in international waters in the Baltic Sea, 70 nautical miles (130 km; 81 mi) off Kaliningrad. A Russian Ka-27 "Helix" antisubmarine helicopter also circled the destroyer seven times. The U.S. Navy released photos and videos of the incident on 14 April, and the U.S. government lodged a complaint with the Russian government.[18][19] In response to the U.S. Secretary of State commenting on the incident and saying that "under the rules of engagement, that could have been a shoot-down",[20] the Russian Federation Council's official Igor Morozov said that the U.S. likewise "ought to know that Donald Cook approached our borders and may already be unable to depart those."[citation needed] On 26 February 2019, the ship hosted U.S. diplomats Gordon Sondland, Marie Yovanovitch, Kurt Volker, the EU's Jean Christophe-Belliard, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, among others.[21]
2020s
On 23 February 2020, the ship entered the Black Sea, marking the seventh time a U.S. ship had entered the sea in 2020. While in the Black Sea, the ship conducted routine maritime security operations.[22]USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) departed Naval Station Norfolk on 26 March, to replace Donald Cook as one of the forward destroyers located in Rota, Spain. Donald Cook's new homeport was to be Naval Station Mayport.[23]
On 25 April 2022, the ship returned to Mayport after a three-month deployment.[24]
On June 12th, 2024, USS Donald Cook along with USS Truxtun, USS Delbert D. Black, Coast Guard Cutter, the Stone, and a Boeing P-8 maritime patrol aircraft were deployed to track a Russian naval flotilla sailing less than 30 miles off the coast of Key Largo, Florida. The flotilla was expected to arrive the same day in Havana, Cuba for naval and air exercises.[25]
Coat of arms
Shield
The shield has background of dark blue with a light-blue trim. A reversed star hangs above a gauntlet hoisting a broken chain and crossing sword. Missiles surround the shield.
The traditional Navy colors were chosen for the shield because dark blue and gold represent the sea and excellence, respectively. Red is also included to signify valor and sacrifice. The armoured gauntlet holding a broken chain represents Colonel Cook's gallantry and indomitable spirit in captivity as a prisoner of war to the Viet Cong. He put the interests of his comrades before his own life. The crossed swords denote spirit and teamwork, as well as U.S. Navy and Marine Corps heritage. The U.S. Marine Corps officers' Mameluke sword is representative of Colonel Cook's Marine service. The light-blue upside-down star symbolizes the Medal of Honor Cook earned for his spirit, sacrifice, and heroism.
Crest
The crest consists of an eagle surrounded by red tridents.
The eagle is symbolic to the principles of freedom which our country was founded, highlighting military vigilance and national defense. The trident represents sea power and her AEGIS firepower which brings the capability of conducting operations in multi threat environments.
Motto
The motto is written on a scroll of gold that has a red reverse side.
The ships motto is "Faith without Fear". The motto is a reference to both the honorable feats of Colonel Cook and the Medal of Honor he received.
Seal
The coat of arms in full color as in the blazon, upon a white background enclosed within a dark blue oval border edged on the outside with a gold rope and bearing the inscription "USS DONALD COOK" at the top and "DDG 75" in the base all gold.
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