US Navy deploys its most battle-proven warship since WWII near Venezuela.

USS Stockdale (DDG-106), widely described as the US Navy’s most battle-tested warship since WWII after its 2024–25 Red Sea deployment, has joined U.S. forces in the Caribbean to lead counter-narcotics patrols.

The US Navy confirmed that USS Stockdale (DDG-106), considered its most battle-proven warship since World War II after a high-intensity deployment in the Red Sea, has now entered the Caribbean to take over counter-narcotics patrols from USS Sampson. The deployment comes amid a major American maritime buildup and recent strikes on Venezuelan-linked drug boats, underscoring both Washington’s enforcement goals and the growing risk of confrontation with Venezuela.
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The USS Stockdale is armed with a 127 mm Mk 45 gun, two Mk 41 vertical launch system cells capable of firing Tomahawk land-attack missiles, SM-2 and SM-6 interceptors, and ASROC anti-submarine weapons, along with two Phalanx close-in weapon systems and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. (Picture source: US Navy)

As reported by the Navy Times on September 23, 2025, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106) has transited the Panama Canal and joined U.S. naval forces in the Caribbean to take over counter-narcotics patrols from USS Sampson. The deployment adds to a substantial American maritime buildup in the region that includes destroyers, cruisers, amphibious ships, a fast-attack submarine, and special operations support vessels, all operating under Southern Command. Stockdale’s arrival is significant not only for its timing, coming alongside a series of U.S. strikes on boats linked to Venezuelan drug networks, but also because the ship had recently returned from a 2024–25 deployment to 5th Fleet during which it saw more combat action than any other U.S. Navy vessel since 1945. This operational history, coupled with its technical capabilities, underscores why it was selected for this high-profile mission.

The USS Stockdale (DDG-106) was laid down on 10 August 2006 by Bath Iron Works and launched on 24 February 2008 before being commissioned on 18 April 2009 at Port Hueneme, California. Following her commissioning, this ship was assigned a homeport in San Diego, to become part of the US Pacific Fleet. Displacing over 9,000 tons at full load and measuring 155 meters in length, the USS Stockdale is powered by four gas turbines driving two shafts, allowing speeds in excess of 30 knots. Its combat system integrates the SPY-1D(V) phased-array radar as part of the Aegis suite, enabling simultaneous tracking of air and surface threats. The ship is armed with a 127 mm Mk 45 gun, two Mk 41 vertical launch system cells capable of firing Tomahawk land-attack missiles, SM-2 and SM-6 interceptors, and ASROC anti-submarine weapons, along with two Phalanx close-in weapon systems and Harpoon anti-ship missiles. For air operations, it can carry two MH-60R Seahawks, providing extended anti-submarine, surveillance, and strike capability.

Throughout her service, the destroyer joined operations with carrier strike groups (CSGs) and participated in exercises such as maneuvers with USS Carl Vinson off southern California, and deployed to the 7th Fleet region for her maiden overseas mission. Over the years, the ship has taken part in bilateral exercises, port visits, and security operations across the Pacific and Indian Ocean, reflecting the normal operational use for Arleigh Burke–class destroyers. More recently, in 2024–2025, the USS Stockdale completed a seven-month deployment spanning U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation, during which she was integrated with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and then remained in 5th Fleet beyond the group’s departure. During that deployment, the ship repelled so many incoming one-way attack drones and anti-ship missile threats launched by Houthi militants while escorting U.S.-flagged vessels that it saw more combat action than any other U.S. Navy vessel since 1945. Now, the Stockdales’ current role in the Caribbean extends its earlier assignment under U.S. Northern Command to support maritime border security with embarked Coast Guard law-enforcement detachments. These teams bring boarding and search expertise to supplement the destroyer’s strike and defense capabilities, creating a hybrid platform able to address both conventional threats and illegal trafficking.

The broader formation now in place in the zone includes the destroyers USS Jason Dunham and USS Gravely, cruiser USS Lake Erie, littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group with USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio, and USS Fort Lauderdale, supported by USS Newport News, a Los Angeles-class submarine. Satellite data and open-source tracking placed this group about 700 kilometers north of Caracas in late September, with Iwo Jima operating south of Puerto Rico and Lake Erie joining from Ponce. The amphibious ships carry over 2,000 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, and the overall force is backed by F-35A fighters operating from forward sites, P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft, and MQ-9 Reaper drones. This deployment surpasses the usual two or three U.S. Navy ships that patrol the Caribbean, making it the largest concentration of American naval forces in the area since the 1960s and a significant projection of power beyond routine interdiction.

Recent weeks have seen at least three lethal U.S. strikes on alleged Venezuelan drug boats. On September 2, a vessel identified as operated by the Tren de Aragua gang was struck, killing 11 people. On September 15 and 19, further strikes each killed three individuals, with Washington labeling the dead as narcoterrorists. The Dominican Republic later reported cooperation with U.S. naval forces to recover over 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from one of the destroyed boats, calling it the first such joint anti-narcotics action between the two nations. These operations have been justified by the administration under executive orders that classified several cartels and gangs as foreign terrorist organizations, which permits the use of military force. However, analysts have noted that the strikes represent the first publicly acknowledged U.S. use of air-delivered lethal force in Latin America since the Panama invasion in 1989.

Caracas has described the U.S. actions as violations of sovereignty and reacted with increased military activity. On September 4, two Venezuelan F-16s flew near USS Jason Dunham, which U.S. officials called provocative. On September 13, Venezuela accused a U.S. destroyer of boarding a tuna boat with nine fishermen before it was escorted away by Venezuelan naval forces. On September 17, the government launched large-scale naval and air exercises, and President Nicolás Maduro declared the U.S. deployment the greatest threat the continent has faced in the last century. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello added that Venezuela was prepared to carry out counterattacks if necessary. These developments underscore how maritime operations intended as interdiction measures have widened into a politically charged confrontation that Caracas portrays as preparation for invasion.

The legality and intent of the buildup are under debate. Analysts point out that much of the narcotics flow to the U.S. moves via the Pacific Ocean or clandestine flights rather than the Caribbean, raising doubts about the practicality of assigning high-end destroyers to the mission. Historical precedent shows that the militarization of drug interdiction has been part of U.S. policy since 1989, but current executive orders that label cartels as terrorist groups represent a more expansive justification for military operations. The doubling of the bounty on Maduro to $50 million further situates the deployment as part of a strategy that targets both narcotics networks and Venezuela’s leadership. These elements have prompted concerns from international law experts who argue that the strikes on vessels in international waters could constitute extrajudicial killings.

An additional dimension to the U.S. presence is provided by MV Ocean Trader, a converted commercial ship outfitted for special operations missions, which has been observed near St. Kitts and St. Croix. The vessel can host 159 special forces personnel and launch small craft and helicopters while blending with civilian shipping traffic. Analysts highlight its role as a discreet command and support platform complementing the visible presence of cruisers, destroyers, and amphibious ships. Its deployment reflects a layered approach that mixes overt deterrence with covert interdiction capacity. With over 4,500 U.S. sailors and Marines engaged in the Caribbean operation, observers have described the buildup as the largest U.S. show of force in the region in decades, raising both the capability for interdiction and the risk of miscalculation in encounters with Venezuelan forces.

The combination of Stockdale’s arrival, the supporting fleet, special operations vessels, and U.S. air assets signals that Washington intends to sustain its operations for an extended period. The Coast Guard has emphasized interdiction successes in adjacent theaters, such as seizing 75,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific since early August, while Navy sources note that destroyers and amphibious ships will rotate to maintain continuous presence. For the U.S., the mission ties together counternarcotics enforcement, border security, and strategic signaling. For Venezuela, it represents a potential precursor to intervention. The overlap of law enforcement objectives with regional geopolitics means that the USS Stockdale’s patrols in the Caribbean will remain a focal point of both interdiction efforts and broader U.S.–Venezuelan tensions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.