US Plans To Expand Greece's Alexandroupolis Port To Deploy Strategic Destroyers - Reports

The United States seeks expanding the Alexandroupolis port located on the northeast coast of Greece with a view to deploying US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers there, the Ekathimerini newspaper reported on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th September, 2022) The United States seeks expanding the Alexandroupolis port located on the northeast coast of Greece with a view to deploying US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers there, the Ekathimerini newspaper reported on Monday.

The destroyers are strategically important for the US armed forces, given their increased electronic warfare capacity and ability to fulfill strikes using various guided missiles, according to the Greek media outlet.

In the long run, the Greek port of Alexandroupolis is also expected to be used for hosting larger US destroyers, Ekathimerini added.

The move suggests that the location is being transformed into the second Crete Naval Base of the Hellenic navy and NATO forces in Grecce's Souda Bay.

Following the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine on February 24, NATO and especially Washington have been using the Alexandroupolis port as the replacement for the Bosporus Strait, which Ankara has closed to all warships due to increased tensions. The alliance and the US have been actively deploying servicemen, tanks, helicopters and other military equipment in the Greek port, the newspaper reported.