In a significant demonstration of NATO's maritime interoperability, two US Navy destroyers are set to integrate with the United Kingdom's carrier strike group 25, which is centered around HMS Prince of Wales.

USS Forrest Sherman departed Norfolk in May as part of the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group for a scheduled deployment to the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, which includes the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea.

The deployment will underscore the US Navy's commitment to maritime security and stability in the region, according to the Navy.

USS Truxtun departed Naval Station Norfolk in March for a regularly scheduled deployment.

HMS Prince of Wales is a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier that serves as the fleet flagship of the British Royal Navy.

Prince of Wales and its carrier strike group are leading Operation Highmast, a multi-national deployment in the Indo-Pacific.

The eight-month mission aims to demonstrate collective resolve to maintain security and freedom from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

Operation Highmast will include a series of exercises and operations with air, sea and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South-east Asia, Japan and Australia, according to the British Royal Navy.

Upgraded US destroyers

USS Forrest Sherman and USS Truxtun are part of the Arleigh Burke Flight IIA sub-class of destroyers, reconfigured to better adapt to littoral warfare.

Flight IIA destroyers are well equipped to fight in areas such as the Red Sea, which is relatively shallow, with about 40% of the body of water less than 100 meters deep and about 25% less than 50 meters deep.

The destroyers are equipped with 96 Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) cells each. The VLS allows for rapid deployment of a variety of munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles with ranges exceeding 1,500 miles.

Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can carry more than 90 Tomahawk missiles and also are equipped with the Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) surface-to-air missiles for ballistic missile defense.

A cornerstone of their combat capability is the Aegis Combat System and the ability to link sensor data from multiple sources.

Central to the Aegis system is the AN/SPY-1D radar, a passive electronically scanned array that offers 360-degree coverage and can track up to 800 targets simultaneously.

This radar system enhances situational awareness and target tracking capabilities, which are crucial for coordinated operations within a carrier strike group.

The integration of these systems ensures Arleigh Burke-class destroyers can effectively operate alongside other NATO naval assets, enhancing collective maritime security and operational effectiveness.