The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sampson (DDG 102) departed Naval Base San Diego, June 3, 2025, to support operations in the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) area of responsibility.
Sampson is relieving the littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), continuing the Navy’s role in maritime operations that support national security priorities.
The Sampson will conduct operations in direct support of USNORTHCOM’s mission to protect the homeland by enhancing maritime domain awareness and deterring illicit activities in coordination with U.S. interagency and law enforcement partners.
The deployment is part of the Department of Defense’s support to national objectives along
the U.S. southern border, following Presidential directives and ongoing interagency efforts to improve border security and homeland defense.
During this deployment, the Sampson will operate with an embarked U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET). This joint presence strengthens the ship’s ability to conduct maritime interdiction operations, contribute to border security, and support counter-narcotics efforts and humanitarian missions as needed.
As a surface combatant assigned to Destroyer Squadron 9, the Sampson brings robust multi-mission capabilities to the task of defending U.S. sovereignty and supporting homeland defense operations in coordination with USNORTHCOM.
USFFC is responsible for manning, training, equipping and employing more than 125 ships, 1,000 aircraft, and 103,000 active-duty service members and government employees, and providing combat-ready forces forward to numbered fleets and combatant commanders around the globe in support of U.S. national interests.