USS Charleston (LCS-18) is on its way to support the Trump administration’s ongoing border mission, U.S. Fleet Forces announced on Wednesday.
The Independence-class ship has a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment aboard that can help with counter-narcotic missions. Charleston, which left its homeport at Naval Base San Diego on Tuesday, will replace destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106), according to a Navy news release.
“Charleston’s departure reinforces the Navy’s role in the Department of Defense’s coordinated effort in response to Presidential executive orders and directives,” reads the release. “Charleston’s sea-going capacity contributes to USNORTHCOM’s ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty, and security, through a coordinated, multi-domain strategy.”
Charleston is the fourth U.S. Navy warship and the first Littoral Combat Ship that the Pentagon has publicly announced is helping with the Trump administration’s operations at the southern border.
Stockdale has been performing the border mission since mid-April and also had a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment aboard, USNI News reported at the time.
In March, U.S. Fleet Forces Commander Adm. Daryl Caudle said ships operating in the Eastern Pacific for the joint missions between U.S. Northern Command and the Department of Homeland Security would help patrol the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Now, while operating in the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility, the Charleston will respond to national priorities and a Presidential declaration emphasizing the military’s role in securing U.S. borders,” according to the release.
Stockdale replaced USS Spruance (DDG-111), which helped with the border mission for several weeks starting in mid-March. USS Gravely (DDG-107) deployed in the same timeframe from the East Coast to support the mission.
In 2023, Charleston wrapped up a more than two-year deployment to the Indo-Pacific as part of the rotational force of Littoral Combat Ships based out of Singapore.
