US southern border bolstered by deployment of USS Gravely

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) departed Naval Weapons Station Yorktown for a scheduled deployment to the US Northern Command Area of Responsibility (USNORTHCOM AOR) on March 15.

“USS Gravely’s deployment will contribute to the US Northern Command southern border mission as part of the DOD’s coordinated effort in response to the presidential executive order," said General Gregory Guillot, Commander, US Northern Command.

"Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security,”

The ship will be involved with combating maritime related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration.

A US Coast Guard "law enforcement detachment" (LEDET) will be embarked aboard Gravely.

USNORTHCOM was named the DoD’s operational lead for the employment of US military forces to carry out President Trump’s southern border executive orders.

"The combatant command continues to fill critical capabilities gaps in support of DHS and CBP," said the US Navy.