Maine Guided-Missile Destroyer Deployed To North Atlantic To Keep Russian Threat At Bay

A 9,600-ton Bath Iron Works’ destroyer with missile-defense and anti-submarine warfare is on a new mission.

The USS Gonzalez, launched 20 years ago from Bath, has officially set sail from Naval Station Norfolk to strengthen naval operations in the Atlantic, the Navy reports.

The vessel’s deployment from Virginia comes after months of intensive training, maintenance, and certification.

The destroyer and its 300-member crew will operate as part of the U.S. 2nd Fleet.

As tensions mount in the Middle East, the Gonzalez’s mission highlights that the U.S. is also focused on other international threats from potential foes like Russia, reports InterestingEngineering.com.

The deployment is designed to help protect U.S and ally operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic Circle, while also protecting sea lanes from potential submarine attacks.

“The crew is ready, and this ship brings significant combat capabilities to the fight,” says Capt. John Benfield, commodore of Destroyer Squadron 22. “They are prepared to act at a moment’s notice to deter or defeat any threat as necessary.”

The Gonzalez is named in honor of Marine Sgt  Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, a Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam War.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, christened in 1995, was officially commissioned into the Navy a year later.

The vessel’s most potent weapons include anti-ship and air-to-air cruise missiles as well as torpedoes.