USS Philippine Sea (CG-58)
Encyclopedia
USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) is a Flight II Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser
Ticonderoga class cruiser
The Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...
on active service in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She is named for the Battle of the Philippine Sea
Battle of the Philippine Sea
The Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive naval battle of World War II which effectively eliminated the Imperial Japanese Navy's ability to conduct large-scale carrier actions. It took place during the United States' amphibious invasion of the Mariana Islands during the Pacific War...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and is the second ship to bear the name. The Philippine Sea was the first U.S. or allied vessel to launch missiles against Saddam Hussein's forces during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
in 1991. It was deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001.
In 2010, the ship failed its initial INSURV
Board of Inspection and Survey
The Board of Inspection and Survey is a U.S. Navy organization whose purpose is to inspect and assess material condition of Naval vessels.The Board is currently headquartered at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Virginia.- INSURV teams :...
inspection. On 7 May 2011, Philippine Sea departed Mayport for a scheduled overseas deployment to the U.S. Fifth Fleet and U.S. Sixth Fleet Area of Responsibility. On 3 June 2011, Philippine Sea paid a port visit to Kiel, Germany, prior to participating with the multi-national exercise Baltic Operations 2011 (BLATOPS-2011). This exercise included naval units from the United States, Russian, Danish, Polish and French navies, and BLATOPS-2011 ended on 21 June 2011. On 6 July 2011, Philippine Sea rescued 26 Filipino crew members from the Marshall Islands-owned, Liberian-flagged supertanker Brilliante Virtuoso
Brilliante Virtuoso
Brilliante Virtuoso is a large oil tanker that was endangered by fire on July 6, 2011.The crew reported they thought they were being attacked by Somalian pirates, while south of the port of Aden. Subsequently they reported that their ship was endangered by an uncontrollable fire, and they were...
{pictured) southwest of Aden, Yemen, after the ship's superstructure was set on fire following a reported pirate attack from the rocket-propelled grenades (RPG). Philippine Sea transited the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
on 1 July 2011.