Latest news with #USSGravely
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Norfolk-based USS Gravely captures hundreds of pounds of cocaine worth over $13 million
The Norfolk-based USS Gravely last week seized more than 850 pounds of narcotics while in the Caribbean Sea. The ship's search and seizure team had boarded a 'vessel of interest' on May 25 and found 19 bales of cocaine, according to a news release from the Navy. A spokesperson for the Navy said the drugs had a street value of $13.6 million. 'Seamless integration of U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard maritime assets (are) integral to border protection — this is an excellent example of that teamwork,' said Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander of the U.S. 2nd Fleet. 'Border security is national security.' The USS Gravely has been in the gulf since March 15 and works with Coast Guard personnel to target drug trafficking, illegal immigration and transnational crime.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What military assets has Trump deployed to the US southern border? Troops, warships, spy planes, and more.
The Trump administration is using US troops and military assets in its costly immigration crackdown. Navy warships, military aircraft, and combat vehicles have been deployed to the US-Mexico border. The Pentagon has spent $376 million on militarizing the southern US border since January 20. US Navy destroyers are cruising coastal waters, spy planes are flying overhead, and troops are out patrolling desert trails in armored fighting vehicles. America's southern border is starting to resemble a military front line as the Trump administration ramps up its crackdown on illegal immigration at the divide between the US and Mexico. President Donald Trump swiftly put his mass deportation plan into motion after taking office, using US military personnel and assets to execute it by formally declaring illegal immigration a federal emergency. About 10,000 active-duty troops have been deployed to support the Pentagon's southern border operation, as have two warships, a handful of military aircraft, and over 100 combat vehicles. Costly crackdown on immigration On April 1, Defense Department officials said the militarization at the US-Mexico border had cost roughly $376 million since Trump returned to the White House on January 20, or about $5.3 million per day. After making illegal immigration a major campaign issue, with Trump criticizing Biden's border policies, the Trump White House has touted plummeting numbers of illicit border crossings. US Customs and Border Patrol reported that March saw the lowest number of attempted crossings in decades. Illegal immigration was already on the decline prior to the start of Trump's second term, but the president is taking things further. He's got numerous military assets at the border. Here's what the administration has deployed. Thousands of troops During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on April 1, Pentagon officials said 6,700 active-duty troops had been deployed to the US-Mexico border, in addition to about 2,500 National Guardsmen that were already stationed there. Only Border Patrol agents or civilian law enforcement can actually apprehend migrants, leaving a large majority of the troops tasked with "detection and monitoring," Gen. Gregory Guillot, the commander of the US Northern Command, said. Active-duty forces are limited in their actions on US soil. The general said that deployed military personnel "operating in close proximity to the border" are armed with rifles or pistols, and military officials are seeking authorization for troops to shoot down suspected cartel drones surveilling the border. USS Gravely Two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers — USS Gravely and USS Spruance — have also been deployed to help "restore territorial integrity at the US southern border," officials said in two statements in March. "Gravely's sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States' territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security," Guillot said. The destroyer departed Yorktown, Virginia, in mid-March to waters off the Texas coast to support the border mission and counter maritime weapons and drug crime in the Gulf of Mexico. The Gravely played a key role in Red Sea combat prior to this deployment. In December 2023, USS Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles and was involved in sinking three Houthi small boats, marking the first time the US Navy killed Houthi fighters since the Red Sea conflict began. USS Spruance A second Navy destroyer, USS Spruance, which also saw combat in the Red Sea, left its homeport in San Diego last month to patrol waters off the West Coast as part of the border operation. Guillot said that the warship "brings additional capability and expands the geography of unique military capabilities working with the Department of Homeland Security." "With Spruance off the West Coast and USS Gravely in the Gulf of America, our maritime presence contributes to the all-domain, coordinated DOD response to the Presidential Executive Order and demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border," the general added. The warships have been conducting operations alongside the Coast Guard. Airlifters flying deportation flights Migrant deportations are typically carried out using civilian charter flights operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Trump administration supplemented the deportation effort by using military cargo aircraft, like the C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules, to transport migrants to Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras, Panama, Guantánamo Bay in Cuba, and even India. Military vs civilian flight costs But the military aircraft, which are designed to transport both troops and cargo, come with a steep operational price tag. It costs about $28,000 per flight for one deportation on a C-17, whereas civilian flights cost an estimated $8,500. Following backlash from Democratic lawmakers, the Trump administration halted military deportation flights in early March. Though there are no further flights scheduled, Air Force Gen. Randall Reed told the Senate Armed Services Committee in March that his command is prepared to carry them out should the order be reversed. "If I get the task, I'll absolutely fly it," Reed said. Surveillance aircraft and drones The big cargo planes aren't the only military aircraft being used at the southern US border. Spy planes and drones have been conducting regular intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance flights. Reconnaissance aircraft like the U-2 "Dragon Lady" and Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint have been used for ISR missions above Mexico. The Navy has also reportedly used Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft to conduct maritime patrol and surveillance along the US-Mexico border. Additionally, there have been reports of MQ-9 Reaper drones conducting flights as well. The Reaper is an uncrewed surveillance and combat asset. The Trump administration also directed Pentagon intelligence agencies to direct satellite surveillance to the southern border region, Reuters reported last month. Armored vehicles Border patrol agents typically drive SUVs, sedans, and pick-up trucks donning a green-and-white paint scheme to traverse the rugged terrain at the border. But as more active-duty troops are deployed to the region, armored tactical vehicles have become a regular sight in an apparent intimidation tactic. "This sends a clear and unequivocal message to the criminal organizations operating on either side of the border that we will not tolerate illegal incursions or illicit activities along our border," Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera-Baeza said. He added that "these vehicles have incredible detection technology that the Border Patrol will incorporate into its mission of safeguarding our borders." 'More military assets' The US Army sent over 100 Stryker armored fighting vehicles, along with hundreds of soldiers, to an installation near the border between Yuma, Arizona, and El Paso, Texas. Black Hawk helicopters and Chinooks for support aviation were also deployed. Typically deployed to warzones, the 20-ton eight-wheeled Stryker combat vehicles can be armed with a machine gun or grenade launcher and carry up to 11 troops. They can also reach speeds of up to 60 mph and have a range of 300 miles. "That's really what we're doing with the Stryker out here," Lt. Col. Travis Stellfox told Scripps News. "It provides us great mobility to get soldiers where they need to be to observe on the border." There is always the possibility more military assets could be deployed. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said previously that "whatever is needed at the border will be provided." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Navy destroyer helps apprehend 13 people for border security mission
The destroyer USS Spruance recently helped the Coast Guard and agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, take 13 people into custody as part of the ship's mission to bolster security on the southern border, according to U.S. Northern Command, or NORTHCOM. The Spruance left San Diego on March 22 to assist U.S. government agencies assigned to combat transitional crime, piracy, illegal immigration, and other activities, a NORTHCOM news release says. An embedded Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment is aboard the Spruance during its border security mission. One day after getting underway, the destroyer used its radar to help the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter and a CBP interceptor boat interdict a suspect vessel, NORTHCOM wrote in a March 29 post on X. No further information was immediately available about what type of alleged illicit activity the 13 people apprehended by CBP agents are accused of doing. Since President Donald Trump issued an executing order in January directing the military to support the Department of Homeland Security on border security, more than 10,000 troops have either deployed or been approved to deploy to the region, including about 2,400 soldiers with the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division. The Spruance, which is operating in the Pacific, is one of two Navy destroyers taking part in border security missions. The USS Gravely left its homeport of Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia on March 15. The Gravely and Spruance are deployed to the waters off Mexico. According to Air Force Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of NORTHCOM, the warships' presence represents 'our resolve to achieve operational control of the border.' Prior to returning to its homeport of San Diego in December, the Spruance spent five months deployed with the strike group for the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, during which the Spruance and another destroyer, USS Stockdale, were attacked by Houthi drones and anti-ship missiles. Neither ship was damaged, and no sailors were hurt in the attack. A photo posted on the Spruance's Facebook page in January showing the ship's victory markings indicates that it had downed six missiles and seven drones during its deployment. Those 'Hegseth bodyguards' are actually there for the Air Force's 'Doomsday' plane Army wants junior officers to fix quality-of-life issues that drive soldiers out '100% OPSEC' apparently means texting military plans to a reporter Ranger School's new fitness test is tougher than ever, but nixes sit-ups This photo of Air Force special ops pool training is chaos. There's a reason for that.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Yahoo
USS Spruance departs San Diego for Texas-Mexico border
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A guided-missile destroyer departed Naval Base San Diego over the weekend to support military operations at the Texas and Mexico border, according to a news release from the U.S. Navy. After spending five months in the Middle East and returning to the West Coast in December, USS Spruance left San Diego Saturday on its new deployment. Suspect in Cal Fire captain's death arrested in Baja California: Police According to the Navy, the Spruance will be accompanied by an embedded U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, a team that typically serves in military combat operations, counter-piracy, alien migration interdictions and more. 'USS Spruance's deployment as part of U.S. Northern Command's southern border mission brings additional capability and expands the geography of unique military capabilities working with the Department of Homeland Security,' said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commander, U.S. Northern Command. 'With Spruance off the West Coast and USS Gravely in the Gulf of America, our maritime presence contributes to the all-domain, coordinated DOD (Department of Defense) response to the Presidential Executive Order and demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border,' he added in the Navy's statement. DOJ: 22 charged for role in drug trafficking organization linked to Beltran Leyva Cartel Previously, the Spruance served a five-month deployment to the Middle East as part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. The group was sent to 'deter regional escalation, degrade Houthi capabilities, defend U.S. forces, and sailed alongside allies and partners to promote security, stability and prosperity,' the news release stated. It also helped provide security for commercial vessels to pass through international waterways like the Red Sea, Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Another US Navy destroyer that fought off missiles in the Red Sea has been sent to guard America's southern border
The US military is sending another warship to guard the southern border with Mexico. The destroyer USS Spruance, which fought the Houthis in the Red Sea, will operate off the West Coast. It's the latest military asset to be deployed as part of Trump's border security efforts. A second US Navy destroyer that spent months battling the Houthis in the Red Sea is being sent to the southern border to support military operations there. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance left its home port of San Diego on Saturday to support efforts to "restore territorial integrity" at the southern border, US Northern Command said in a statement. NORTHCOM said that the deployment would contribute to the Pentagon's crackdown on maritime-related criminal activity, including weapons smuggling and illegal immigration. The Trump administration has made combating these issues and drug trafficking a priority and has dispatched a range of military assets to the US-Mexico border. Last weekend, the Navy sent USS Gravely, another guided-missile destroyer, to the southern border. Air Force Lt. Gen Alexus Grynkewich, the director of operations for the Joint Staff, told reporters Monday that the warship will be "involved in the interdiction mission for any of the drugs and whatnot that are heading in." The Spruance, like the Gravely, will be accompanied by a US Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, operators that specialize in military operations at sea, such as counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, anti-immigration, and combat missions. Destroyers like the Spruance bring a lot of firepower to a fight. They are equipped with 96 vertical launch system (VLS) cells carrying surface-to-air and land-attack missiles, as well as various guns, from the 5-inch deck gun to the Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) to machine guns. The ships also feature electronic warfare capabilities. It's not entirely unusual for these warships to partake in drug interdiction missions, especially since maritime smuggling efforts can be rather sophisticated. Gen. Gregory Guillot, the NORTHCOM commander, said that the Spruance's deployment as part of the southern border mission "brings additional capability and expands the geography of unique military capabilities working with the Department of Homeland Security." "With Spruance off the West Coast and USS Gravely in the Gulf of America, our maritime presence contributes to the all-domain, coordinated DOD response to the Presidential Executive Order and demonstrates our resolve to achieve operational control of the border," Guillot added. The Spruance and Gravely are being deployed for a mission very different from the Red Sea conflict in which both vessels fought. On their previous deployments, the Spruance and Gravely spent months shooting down missiles and drones launched by the Houthi rebels in Yemen as part of their ongoing attacks on military and civilian vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Navy has rotated carrier strike groups in and out of the Red Sea repeatedly as part of its efforts to stop the Houthi attacks. Last weekend, the US began a fresh campaign against the rebels and has been hitting them with airstrikes for several days. Read the original article on Business Insider
