Downed ships test deployment plans

With two Navy destroyers sidelined for massive repairs after deadly collisions in the Pacific this summer, the service is "surging" the Oct. 16 deployment of the cruiser USS Monterey for the 5th and 6th Fleet operational regions. Also, the destroyer USS O'Kane will deploy to the 7th Fleet area of operations later this year, according for Naval Surface Forces Atlantic spokesperson, Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson. The collisions that caused damages to Fitzgerald in June and USS John S. McCain in August reduced the number of forward-deployed ships in the Pacific region that are equipped with Aegis ballistic missile defense capabilities. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Pascagoula, Miss., shipyard was contracted for USS Fitzgerald repairs. (Source: Military.com 10/17/17)