Aegis-Carrying US Destroyer Heads for Persian Gulf

18.06.2012 American destroyer USS Benfold armed with Aegis missile defense system on June 15 left homebase San Diego for the 8-month long cruise through the Pacific Ocean towards the Persian Gulf, reported US Third Fleet.

According to the 3rd Fleet command, one of the patrol's objectives in West Pacific is missile defense. The destroyer will also participate in the counter-piracy activities, reports Interfax.

"The importance of Benfold's capability in support of global mission requirements is definitely significant, and we take full pride in that fact", the ship's commanding officer Cmdr Dave Oden said before departure.

As was earlier reported, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise was deployed to the Persian Gulf in April. Having entered the gulf in March, another carrier USS Abraham Lincoln was already stationed in the region by that time.

According to the Bahrain-based 5th Fleet spokeswoman Cmdr Amy Derrick Frost, USS Enterprise and USS Abraham Lincoln support operations in Afghanistan, attend anti-piracy campaign off Somalia, and patrol the key oil traffic lanes. Besides, US Navy's task group keeps watch in the gulf in case of armed conflict with Iran.