The Navy’s USS John Paul Jones has departed San Diego for its new homeport of Hawaii with the USS Lake Erie to take its place.
The USS Preble also will make the move to Hawaii this summer to replace a decommissioned frigate, the USS Reuben James.
The Navy said in a news release that re-assigning the two guided-missile destroyers to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam will provide advanced Aegis capabilities to Commander, Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific.
Lake Erie, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, in its move to San Diego, also is set for an extended docking ship repair.
Once the repairs are done, Lake Erie is expected to replace John Paul Jones as a rotational Ballistic Missile Defense deployer out of San Diego.
John Paul Jones and Preble are Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers that can operate independently or in support of a carrier strike group, expeditionary strike group or surface action group.
The Navy calls John Paul Jones “the most technologically advanced ship within the BMD program” and she will be used in Missile Defense Agency testing, including engaging ballistic missiles with the SM-3 missile.
The destroyers are capable of sustaining combat operations and conducting maritime security programs while linked in networks to execute tasks during air, surface, undersea, space and cyber warfare.
USS Reuben James, the last remaining guided-missile frigate homeported in Hawaii, was decommissioned in July 2013 after nearly 30 years of service.
