A war ship built at Bath Iron Works began the mission of clearing mines Sunday from the Strait of Hormuz.
The U.S. Navy said the USS Michael Murphy, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, joined the USS Frank Peterson on the delicate mission.
The 509-foot Murphy, part of Destroyer Squadron 31 of Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, was launched 15 years ago from BIW.
The Murphy and Peterson “transited the Strait of Hormuz are operating in the Arabian Gulf as part of a broader mission to ensure the strait is fully clear of sea mines previously laid by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps,” the Pentagon announced.
“Today, we began the process of establishing a new passage and we will share this safe pathway with the maritime industry soon to encourage the free flow of commerce,” said Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
The Strait of Hormuz, an international sea passage, is considered an essential trade corridor supporting regional and global commerce.
Additional U.S. forces, including underwater drones, will join the clearance effort in the coming days.
The Murphy, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer, is named for Medal of Honor recipient Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy (1976–2005).
Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Red Wings in Afghanistan in June 2005.
He was the first sailor awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War.
The Peterson, also an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, is named for U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Frank E. Petersen Jr., the first black Marine aviator and general.
The 513-foot ship was launched eight years ago from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Mississippi.
The Navy’s minesweeper plans come amid ceasefire talks between Iran, the U.S. and Israel, including negotiations to reopen the waterway.
The true extent of Iran’s sea-mine risk is uncertain, according to Annika Burgess of ABC News.
The suggestion is that Tehran may be overblowing the sea-mine threat to just to try to maintain a chokehold on the strait.
