The US Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) has joined the French flagship FS Charles de Gaulles carrier strike group in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to support the fight against the terrorist group, ISIS.
The vessel has been deployed to strike against identified ISIS positions in support of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR).
During its deployment, the US, along with NATO allies and other regional partners, will offer multi-mission capable platforms capable of conducting strikes, and ballistic missile defence, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
The strike group operations from the Mediterranean are tasked with supporting the fight against ISIS while demonstrating the multi-mission capability of the aircraft carrier strike group, which is comprised of guided-missile destroyers that are simultaneously operating in the US 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.
USS ROSS is the US Navy’s 21st Arleigh Burke-class ship, commissioned in 1997.
The 154m long ship has a beam of 20.4m and displacement feature of approximately 8,300t of full load.
Propelled by four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines, USS ROSS can operate at a speed of more than 30k.
The destroyer is equipped with two MK 41 VLS for standard missiles Tomahawk, Harpoon missile launchers, one Mk 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun, and two Phalanx CIWS Mk 46 torpedoes.
Image: USS Ross in the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: courtesy of US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Stumberg/Released.
