The guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey is on its way to the areas of the 5th and 6th fleet, which includes Europe and the Middle East.
The Monterey, a destroyer with ballistic-missile-defense capabilities, deployed Monday “on a previously unscheduled deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas to conduct maritime security operations,” Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson told Navy Times.
Here are the armaments the Monterey is bringing.
Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that the USS Monterey is heading toward the areas of the 5th and 6th fleet.
The USS Monterey, which measures about 567 feet long and 55 feet wide, was christened in October 1988 and commissioned in June 1990.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: US Navy
Its four LM2500 gas-turbine engines can bring it to speeds of more than 34 mph.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: US Navy
Its primary defense against airborne threats is the Standard Missile 2, the world’s most advanced supersonic homing missile.
Information Specialist 1st Class Steven Martel/US Navy
The Standard Missile 2, seen in action above aboard the USS The Sullivans, is launched using the AEGIS Weapon System and the Vertical Launching System.
See it in action below:
Source: US Navy
It’s also armed with Vertically Launched Anti-Submarine Rockets, seen below aboard the USS Mustin.
Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Fidel C. Hart/US Navy
The Vertically Launched Anti-Submarine Rocket is a surface-launched missile designed to put MK 46 Mod 5A or MK 54 Mod Lightweight Torpedos into the water near their target.
Source: US Navy
The different missiles and rockets are all fired from the hatches seen on the deck below.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
It’s also armed with a Harpoon Quad-Canister Launcher, seen below, behind the sailors folding the American flag. It can fire Harpoon missiles as far as 67 miles away.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
The Monterey can fire a variety of other missiles, including Tomahawks.
It also has six MK32 MOD14 torpedo tubes, seen in action below aboard the USS Mustin.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bryan Reckard/US Navy
Source: US Navy
It’s outfitted with MK36 MOD2 Super-Rapid-Blooming Chaff decoy systems to thwart incoming missiles, which can seen below aboard the Japanese JS Fuyuzuki destroyer.
Wikimedia Commons
The Monterey is equipped with a number of other weapons systems too, including the Phalanx Close-In Weapons System seen below.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
The CIWS is the Monterey’s last line of defense against a missile attack.
See it in action below:
Source: US Navy
It also has the MK-45 5-inch/.54-caliber lightweight gun, which is designed to hit surface and air targets and provide naval surface-fire support for expeditionary operations.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
See the MK-45 5-inch/.54-caliber gun in action below:
Source: US Navy
Its MK 38 MOD II 25 mm machine gun can fire 180 rounds a minute with an effective range of 2,500 yards.
Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
See the MK 38 MOD II 25 mm machine gun in action below:
It also has two .50-caliber machine guns.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: US Navy
And two .30-caliber M240B machine guns, which fire 600 to 650 7.62 mm rounds a minute.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho
Source: US Navy, Globalsecurity.org
It even carries two SH-60B Sea Hawk helicopters.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: US Navy
Its crew is 37 officers and 327 enlisted sailors.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: US Navy
The Monterey will be deployed for about six months.
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Billy Ho/US Navy
Source: Navy Times
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