The Navy says it has sent the San Diego-based destroyer USS Gridley to South America to operate with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, whose decommissioning was recently delayed by almost a year to help the fleet maintain an adequate number of warships.
The Gridley departed San Diego Bay on Saturday to participate in “Southern Seas,” a mission that involves a variety of training exercises with partner nations. The Navy says it will interact with such countries as Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay.
The 510-foot Gridley has worked with several carriers, including San Diego’s USS Abraham Lincoln, which is currently helping lead U.S. attacks against Iran. Destroyers are routinely used to help shield flattops from attack.
The half-century-old Nimitz, which was homeported in San Diego from 2001 to 2012, was scheduled to be decommissioned on the East Coast in May. But the date was pushed back to give the new carrier John F. Kennedy time to complete preparations for going into active service.
The Navy has expressed concern about the rapid and often long operating tempo of its 11 carriers, three of which are based in San Diego.