Destroyer USS Gravely Deploys to the Southern Border

 

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Gravely has a well-known name after her fight against Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Red Sea last year. Her next mission will be less dangerous: she has deployed to waters near the southern border to assist with the whole-of-government effort to stop illegal migration and smuggling. 

Gravely sailed with a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment on board, as is typical for a counternarcotics or counter-trafficking mission. 

"Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander of U.S. Northern Command.

The destroyer will operate within the Northern Command area of responsibility, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Strait, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. On the Pacific side, Northern Command covers the west coasts of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. 

"Gravely strengthens our maritime presence and exemplifies the Navy’s commitment to national security and safeguarding our territorial integrity with professionalism and resolve," said Adm. Daryl Caudle, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Northern Command.

U.S. Navy warships often deploy to U.S. Southern Command to assist with multi-agency counternarcotics interdiction efforts in the Caribbean and the Eastern Pacific. In this role, the Navy provides extra vessel capacity for Coast Guard law enforcement interdiction teams, expanding the USCG's reach. U.S. Northern Command operational deployments are less common for the Navy's most capable surface combatants.

Last year, USS Gravely spent nine months in the Red Sea shooting down Houthi missiles, including one cruise missile that managed to get within a mile of the destroyer. Her crew also hit back with missile strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. The operation has been described as the U.S. Navy's most intense mutual exchange of fire with an enemy force since WWII.