The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) returned to Naval Station Rota, Spain on Jun. 10, 2025 with a Unit Combat Action Ribbon following completion of her first Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) patrol in the U.S. Sixth Fleet and Fifth Fleet areas of operations.
Oscar Austin departed for Patrol One on Dec. 11, 2024, during which she sailed over 37,900 nautical miles supporting U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. She operated as an independently deployed destroyer in the Mediterranean and in the Red Sea conducting combat operations with the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group.
“I’m honored to have assumed command of Oscar Austin during her first patrol as a forward deployed warship,” said Cmdr. David Nicolas, who took Command in May. “Having served previously as the ship’s executive officer, I feel immense pride in witnessing the growth and development of the crew in their preparation for and completion of Patrol One.”
Oscar Austin welcomed the New Year in the East Mediterranean by sailing alongside the Republic of Cyprus National Guard. Oscar Austin and the Republic of Cyprus offshore patrol vessel Commodore Andreas Ioannides (P61) completed events involving advanced signaling and maneuvering. The exercises reinforced partnerships with regional partners, highlighting the strategic importance in fostering multinational cooperation.
In April, Oscar Austin transited the Suez Canal into the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations with the USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. The ship provided air and missile defense, joining fellow Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Stout (DDG 55), and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64).