The US Navy Guided Missile Naval Destroyer, the USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), is currently docked in Pinto Wharf, Valletta, in between defence missions within the Mediterranean region.

This is the first time that this destroyer has docked in the Maltese islands.

The US Navy Destroyer’s Commanding Officer, Commander Joseph Phillips, described that the ship is “very important” to European defence, as it forms part of NATO’s defence architecture. He said that this ship has provided defence in Europe and the Middle East; it was mentioned to have had several encounters with Iranian forces.

The USS Paul Ignatius initially arrived in the Valletta Cruise Port, at the Grand Harbour, on 21 February 2025 for a four-day visit. During this period, the ship is undergoing maintenance and is being refuelled, while its officers and crew have been given shore leave to immerse themselves in Maltese culture till their departure.

The Naval Destroyer stores a pair of Sikorsky Seahawk helicopters on board. Its helicopters (HSM-79) are mainly used for anti-submarine warfare, though they are also SAR-qualified, meaning that they can be used to perform search and rescue missions.

The destroyer has an automated missile system on board. When the system detects the unique kinematics of a missile, it will automatically fire standard missiles of its own to nullify its target and prevent damage. This system can be overridden by the ship’s crew to halt the firing of missiles in scenarios when this is not necessary.

Aside from its several missile systems, the destroyer is armed with two 25mm cannons on its side, multiple RHIBs, four machine guns, and six torpedo tubes.

One of the ship’s main firing mechanisms can fire projectiles weighing 70lbs (or around 32kg) and five inches in diameter from around 26 kilometres away from its target.

While giving journalists a tour of the destroyer, Commander Phillips and his officers complemented the beauty of the Maltese islands.

The USS Paul Ignatius leaves the Maltese islands tomorrow, on Tuesday. The destroyer and its approximate 300 people onboard will sail west, patrolling the Western Mediterranean Sea to provide security in the Mediterranean region, before then arriving back to the ship’s designated homeport in Rota, Spain.

The guided missile destroyer was first launched in 2016 and has been working from its homeport on the Spanish coast since mid-2022.