US Navy reports 22 interceptions of Houthi missiles and drones by USS Carney.

On December 10, 2023, the US Navy reported that the USS Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and part of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, intercepted a total of 22 aerial threats in the Red Sea region. These threats, launched by Houthi forces in Yemen, comprised 4 cruise missiles and several attack drones and were potentially directed towards Israel.
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The USS Carney during an interception of Houthi missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea on October 19, 2023. (Picture source: US DoD)

These interceptions are part of the ongoing tensions involving the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The situation in the region has been further complicated by Washington's support for Israel in its conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Recent events have seen groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis in the Middle East issuing threats against Israel and the United States, aligning themselves with the Palestinian cause.

The regional security concerns are highlighted by the hijacking of the Bahamas-flagged vessel M/V Galaxy Leader by Houthi rebels. This event occurred about 50 miles west of Hodeida, Yemen, on November 19, 2023. The ship was diverted to the port of Hodeidah, an action that fits into the broader pattern of the rebels targeting Israeli vessels, a response to the situation in Gaza.

The USS Carney, designated DDG-64, has been a part of the US Navy since its commissioning on April 13, 1996. Constructed by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, the vessel has a displacement of around 8,900 long tons when fully loaded. It measures 505 feet in length, with a beam width of 59 feet and a draft of 31 feet. The ship's propulsion system enables it to reach speeds exceeding 30 knots.

The USS Carney is equipped with the AN/SPY-1D PESA 3D and AN/SPY-6(V)1 AESA 3D radars. Its armament includes missile launchers such as the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System, a 5-inch Mk 45 Mod 1/2 lightweight gun, Phalanx CIWS, Mk 38 Machine Gun System, and torpedo tubes. The ship has been involved in various missions, including deployments in the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf, humanitarian missions, and counter-piracy operations.

The ship has undergone upgrades, including the integration of RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) into its Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and the replacement of its aft Phalanx CIWS with a SeaRAM 11-cell RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launcher.

The USS Carney is currently deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean as part of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group. This group also includes the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80). The strike group comprises guided missile cruisers and destroyers capable of various warfare operations, attack submarines, a supply ship for logistical support, and a Carrier Air Wing consisting of various types of aircraft. Additionally, the US Air Force has reinforced the region with F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter squadrons.