A US aircraft carrier crosses the Strait of Gibraltar alongside a Spanish F-100 frigate

Spain has a very important strategic position due to its location in the Atlantic Ocean and because it is the gateway to the Mediterranean Sea.

A visit by the large amphibious aircraft carrier USS Wasp to the Spanish Naval Station Rota
The simultaneous replenishment of two US destroyers by a Spanish ship

The Strait of Gibraltar is a maritime route of enormous importance on a global scale, not only because it provides access to the Mediterranean Sea, but also because it is the passageway for many ships that cross the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea and, from there, to the Indian Ocean. The importance of this strait is also reflected in the numerous crossings of military vessels belonging to different naval forces.

This week, one of the ships to pass through the Strait of Gibraltar was the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). The massive ship, measuring 332.8 metres in length, 76.8 metres in width and displacing 103,000 tonnes, crossed the stretch of sea separating Spain and Morocco on Monday 25 November as part of its deployment with the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet. The US Armed Forces multimedia portal DVIDShub.net published a series of photos from the voyage on Tuesday.

The Truman is the eighth aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class. It was initially christened USS United States, from its laying down on November 29, 1993, until February 1995, when it was renamed to its current name. The ship is based at NAVSTA Norfolk, Virginia, the largest naval base in the world.

Like the other Nimitz-class ships, Truman carries a 90-aircraft carrier air wing, including F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bombers, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopters and E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft. Aircraft of all of the above types can be seen pictured here parked on the carrier’s flight deck.

The Truman entered service on July 25, 1988. A few weeks ago, it participated in NATO's Neptune Strike (NEST) 24-2 exercise in the North Sea, which also included three Spanish ships: the frigate "Cristóbal Cólon" F-105, the combat supply ship "Cantabria" A-15 and the minesweeper "Tajo" M-36.

During its passage through the Strait of Gibraltar, the Truman was accompanied by the Spanish frigate "Méndez Núñez" F-104, of the Álvaro de Bazán (F-100) class. Here we see it in a photo taken from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter of the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11 of the US Navy, embarked on the Truman. The ship we see behind is the cruise ship MSC Magnifica.

Another image of the frigate "Méndez Núñez". Above we see one of the MH-60S helicopters of the HSC-11. Note the AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missile on the right fin of the helicopter.

The American aircraft carrier and the Spanish frigate coincided with the frigate "Carabiniere" F-593 Marina Militare Italiana as they passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. Here we see it accompanied by the MH-60S from the previous photo.

An EA-18G Growler and an F/A-18E Super Hornet parked on the flight deck of the Truman, in the area close to the stern. Following in the wake of the aircraft carrier we see the Italian frigate "Carabiniere" F-593 and, behind it, the Spanish frigate "Méndez Núñez" F-104.

One of the escort vessels that the Truman carries is the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Stout (DDG 55). It has been in service since August 13, 1994, and as you can see in the photo, its hull is in need of a good coat of paint.

I end these lines with an image of the Truman passing next to the MSC Magnifica cruise ship. On the flight deck of the aircraft carrier, 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft can be seen parked.