Surface Warriors

⚓⚔️ : USS Lake Erie CG-70 Conducts CIWS Live-Fire 🌊💥🔫🚢

A close-in weapons system fires during a live-fire gunnery exercise on the main deck of Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) while underway in the Caribbean Sea.

U.S. military forces are deployed to the Caribbean in support of the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) mission, U.S. Department of War-directed operations, and the president’s priorities.

📸 MC2 John Miller

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U.S. Navy | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic

⚓⚔️ : Underway with USS Gonzalez - DDG 66 in U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet Area of Operations 🌍🌊🚢

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66) is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the warfighting effectiveness, lethality, and readiness of U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa.

📸 MC3 Class Mark Peña

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U.S. Navy | U.S. Fleet Forces Command | Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic

⚓The future USS Cleveland (LCS 31) arrives in Cleveland, Ohio, May 9, 2026, ahead of its commissioning ceremony on May 16, 2026. ⚓

Cleveland is the fourth warship to be named after Ohio’s second largest city and is the 16th and final Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) to be built and commissioned in the U.S. Navy.

Serving during WWI, Denver-class protected cruiser USS Cleveland (C-19), later reclassified as CL-21, commissioned in 1903. The second USS Cleveland (CL-55), a Cleveland-class light cruiser, saw extensive action in World War II's Pacific theater, including Guadalcanal, Bougainville, the Philippines, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Austin-class amphibious transport dock USS Cleveland (LPD-7) served a distinguished 30-year career notably contributing to Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

📸MCC Godbold, MC1 Stewart, MC3 Aquino

⚓⚔️ : USS Wichita LCS 13 Returns to Naval Station Mayport 🌎🌊🚢

Sailors assigned to the Freedom variant littoral combat ship USS Wichita (LCS 13) return to Naval Station Mayport, following an eight-month deployment under U.S. Northern Command.

Wichita operated across U.S. 2nd and 4th Fleet areas of operations, conducting maritime interdiction missions and training exercises with NATO Allies.

Read the story: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/564369/uss-wichita-returns-naval-station-mayport

📸 MCSN Madelyn Cuevas
📰 Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet

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⚓⚔️ : USS Mustin (DDG 89) Conducts Live-Fire Exercise Underway in the Western Pacific Ocean 🎯🌊💥🔫

Mustin is forward-deployed and assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

📸 MC2 Timothy Dimal

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U.S. Indo-Pacific Command | U.S. Pacific Fleet

⚓⚔️ : USS GRIDLEY (DDG 101) Participates in Southern Seas 2026 🌊🚢

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) transits the Atlantic Ocean, April 30, 2026.

Gridley is deployed with Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as part of Southern Seas 2026 which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation.

📸 MC2 Timothy Meyer

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U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) | U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command & U.S. 4th Fleet | U.S. Pacific Fleet