The USS St. Louis, a Navy warship, departed Naval Station Mayport, Florida on September 13 to support U.S. Northern Command's border security operations along the southern border, the Navy said.
The littoral combat ship assumes duties previously handled by the USS Cooperstown in coordinating with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to disrupt illegal drug trafficking and protect the nation's borders, according to the Navy.
Navy Cmdr. Lester Shewmake, commanding officer of the USS St. Louis, said in a statement: "Our crew has trained relentlessly for this deployment, and they stand ready for whatever challenges lie ahead."
The St. Louis is a fast, agile warship designed to operate in shallow coastal waters and counter 21st century threats, according to the Navy. It is assigned to Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 2 and homeported in Mayport. The ship is the 22nd littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy and the 10th Freedom-variant class vessel to join the fleet, the Navy said.