The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) has been commissioned into the John C Stennis Strike Group on the Western Pacific Ocean deployment.
Chung-Hoon commanding officer Tom Ogden said: "Months of training, maintenance, and preparations all make a ship ready for deployed operations. The crew has succeeded at every task leading up to this and deployment will be the capstone of those tremendous efforts."
The 155.30m-long guided missile destroyer, which was commissioned on 18 September 2004, is currently deployed in Carrier Strike Group 3 and Destroyer Squadron 21.
It is a part of the US third Fleet, as well as a part of the Great Green Fleet, the US navy’s effort to increase fuel efficiency and employ biofuel to propel the vessels.
The deployment of the vessel along with a crew of 300 sailors will stage theatre security cooperation and exercise various scopes of maritime operations by partnering with other nations.
Chung-Hoon will undertake sustained combat operations at sea, aimed at shielding the navy’s aircraft carriers and battle groups, as well as serving as escort to navy and marine corps amphibious forces and auxiliary ships.
The vessel can also conduct independent operations whenever it is deemed necessary.
Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 37 Detachment 7 docked at Marine Corps Base Hawaii will join Chung-Hoon for the deployment.
The US Navy’s primary anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare platform, Detachment 7, also known as Paniolo, will be deployed on-board Chung Hoon, equipped with a total of 28 personnel and two MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.
Image: USS Chung-Hoon. Photo: courtesy of US Navy/MC3 Lenny LaCrosse.
