US Navy warship the USS Carney was spotted passing through the Bosphorus on March, 4, leaving Black Sea where it had been stationed since January. What is notable, however, is that the latest SWIP "Block II" configuration is designed to counter anti-ship missiles. The ship itself is far from being the newest in the US fleet.
New AN/SLQ-32(V)6 on USS Carney: @USNavy installed @LockheedMartin SEWIP Block 2 System on DDG64. This is a significant upgrade to USS Carney’s electronic warfare defenses against anti-ship missiles threats. USS Carney transited the Turkish Straits yesterday towards Mediterranean pic.twitter.com/YibXSJB7YT
— Yörük Işık (@YorukIsik) 4 марта 2018 г.
According to the Drive, the cutting edge technology may have been installed on the ship because it operates in an area where significant Russian marine forces are stationed, most of which are equipped with anti-ship missiles, both older and newer models. The outlet notes, however, that even such a modern electronic warfare configuration would not save the vessel if it were to face a major barrage of such missiles. All the same, it would give at least some protection to the USS Carney in case hostilities were to erupt in the region, according to the media outlet.
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The same ship spotter that pointed out the USS Carney's departure also reported the USS Oak Hill dock landing ship passing the Bosphorus under escort by the Turkish navy, heading to the Black Sea on March 7. The US Navy announced the ship's redeployment, noting that it is heading to the Romanian coast to participate in the joint military exercises "Spring Storm 2018" which are set to take place from 8th to 15th of March.
Turkish Coast Guard Kaan33 class TCSG303 & type 80 TCSG88 large patrol crafts escorted @USNavy Whidbey Island class dock landing ship USS Oak Hill 51 during its BlackSea-bound Bosphorus transit. pic.twitter.com/BFSmHc22AV
— Yörük Işık (@YorukIsik) 7 марта 2018 г.
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US Navy activity in the Black Sea has intensified since the Ukrainian crisis in 2014 and the subsequent reunification of Crimea with Russia. This was not the USS Carney's first visit to the Black Sea, as it was also deployed to the region in July 2017 for the joint military exercises "Sea Breeze 2017" with the Ukrainian navy, and again in October 2016.
