The nearly 160-meter-long “USS Paul Ignatius” entered the port of Riga on Thursday morning. The vessel deployed in Spain has spent the summer in the Baltic Sea, participating both in joint training with ships and military personnel from other NATO member states and in carrying out observation missions.
The US destroyer ship visits Rīga port for the first time. The aim of the visit, as usual, is to demonstrate collective security and the presence of the US army in the region.
The @USNavy USS Paul Ignatius has arrived in Latvia for a scheduled port visit. Cmdr. Aaron Arky, Paul Ignatius’ commanding officer: “Our presence in Riga serves as a physical reminder to the Latvians that we fully support the NATO alliance and the Baltic States.” 🇺🇸 🇱🇻 pic.twitter.com/jUGtOO4zVb
— U.S. Embassy Riga (@USEmbassyRiga) September 15, 2022
The captain of the ship told LTV that since the war launched by Russia in Ukraine, the daily routine of the ship's crew has also changed slightly and has become more intense.
The USS Paul Ignatius has both close combat and long distance weapons onboard, ensuring a battle range of a few meters to several thousand kilometers.
As previously reported by LSM, Rīga was also recently visited by another impressive vessel, the USS Kearsarge.