Chief of Naval Operations Visits U.S. Naval Station Rota
NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (Feb. 6, 2026) – The U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Daryl Caudle visited Naval Station Rota on Feb. 6 as part of his tour of Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central.
The visit to the U.S. installation known as the “Gateway to the Mediterranean” was to survey U.S. shore support capabilities, also known as the “Foundry,” interact with sailors, observe the continuity of forward-deployed sea and air operations, and reinforce the importance of the alliance and relationship with Spain and the Spanish Armada.
After landing in Rota, Caudle was greeted by Admiral of the Cádiz Arsenal Vice Adm. Ruben Rodriguez Peña, and Commander of Naval Activities Spain and Naval Station Rota Capt. Charles Chmielak. He then spoke at an all-hands call to gather personnel from across Naval Station Rota’s 45 supported commands.
“Let me start with a simple message: what you do here matters — a lot.,” expressed Caudle to the crowd of service members. “Rota is not just another Navy installation. It is one of our most strategically important forward positions in Europe."
Caudle toured several significant operational commands during the visit, including the Navy’s only forward-deployed squadron in Europe, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 79, and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Eight. He also looked in on maintenance in action at the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center Detachment Rota’s additive manufacturing lab, a joint technological venture with the Spanish Armada’s Jefatura de Mantenimiento to adapt 3D printing into the production of critical shipboard parts and equipment.
“You’re also operating alongside our Spanish hosts and NATO allies every day,” said Caudle. “That experience builds trust, interoperability, and a shared understanding of how we fight together—not in theory, but in practice. Those relationships, built over time, are a combat multiplier.”
The Admiral Chief of Staff of the Armada Adm. Antonio Piñeiro Sánchez invited Caudle onto the Spanish Armada’s flagship, ESPS Juan Carlos I (L61), for a discussion on the bilateral relationship between the U.S. Navy and the Spanish Armada over lunch.
Caudle closed his trip by meeting with members of Naval Station Rota’s port operations department, responsible for more than 200 ship movements in 2025 and the sustainment of the five forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers homeported in Rota.
"We are honored to have Admiral Caudle visit to see firsthand the incredible work that Team Rota does to sustain the fleet and enable the warfighter," said Capt. Charles Chmielak, commanding officer of Naval Station Rota. "’The Gateway to the Mediterranean’ is proud to showcase the professionalism and discipline of the Sailors and workforce that keep the foundry strong and the fleet ready to fight."
Caudle was sworn in as the 34th CNO on Aug. 25, 2025. Throughout his visit, he highlighted his “Foundry, Fleet, Fight” principles. For more information on the CNO, his vision, and Navy policy, go to the CNO’s website at [https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Operations/](https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Operations/).
As the "Gateway to the Mediterranean,” Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota provides U.S., NATO, and allied forces a strategic hub for operations wherever and whenever they are needed. NAVSTA Rota is a force multiplier, capable of promptly deploying and sustaining combat-ready forces through land, air, and sea, supporting warfighters and their families, and fostering the U.S. and Spanish relationship.
For more information about U.S. Naval Activities Spain/U.S. Naval Station Rota, Spain, go to the installation’s website at [https://cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAVSTA-Rota/](https://cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAVSTA-Rota/) or follow the installation Naval Station Rota, Spain on Facebook, @navstarotaspain on Instagram, or @NAVSTA\_Rota on X.
