WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Bahrain-based 5th Fleet operates in the Middle East including the Red and Arabian seas. The 6th Fleet is headquartered in Italy and patrols about half of the Atlantic Ocean, from the North Pole to Antarctica, as well as the Adriatic, Baltic, Barents, Black, Caspian, Mediterranean and North seas.
"Guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) departed Naval Station Norfolk this morning for a regularly-scheduled deployment to conduct maritime operations in the Navy's 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations," the release stated.
The Cole has deployed as part of an ongoing rotation of forward-deployed forces that support maritime security operations and operate in international waters, along with other maritime forces, the release added.
In October 2000, the Cole was attacked by al-Qaeda as the ship was refueling in Yemen's port of Aden. Seventeen US sailors were killed and 39 injured in the attack.
