U.S. Navy’s Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) concluded an independent deployment to the Arabian Gulf, western Pacific, and Indian Ocean and returned to Pearl Harbor on February 21.
Hopper spent 180 days forward-deployed to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets, with more than 330 sailors, assigned to Destroyer Squadron (CDS) 9.
The ship conducted presence and maritime security operations and integrated with six different combined task forces while independently deployed.
“This was an incredible deployment which saw six different task forces, which means six different missions and operations, some of which were ‘firsts’ and set new precedents on what is expected from an independent deployer,” said Cmdr. J.D. Gainey , Hopper’s commanding officer.
While on station in the Arabian Gulf, Hopper joined Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 for integrated operations in support of operation Inherent Resolve.
Under the operation control of 7th Fleet, Hopper also participated in the 13th iteration of the Royal Australian Navy’s premier multinational maritime exercise Kakadu.
Hopper is a multi-mission ship with ballistic missile defense, air warfare, submarine warfare, and surface warfare capabilities; designed to operate independently or with a carrier strike groups, surface action groups, or amphibious ready groups.