The guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72) departed Naval Station Norfolk yesterday, August 11, on a deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.
After transiting the Mediterranean Sea, Mahan will enter the Arabian Gulf and surrounding waters to conduct maritime operations and strengthen partner nations’ maritime capabilities, promoting a secure maritime environment.
Mahan returned from her last deployment in September 2013. Between maintenance periods, the crew was underway for certification exercises and a port visit to New Orleans during Mardi Gras earlier this year.
The ship was commissioned Feb. 14, 1998, the fourth ship named after Alfred Thayer Mahan, who wrote “The Influence of Sea Power Upon History,” and is considered to be the father of all modern navies.