A United States Navy guided-missile destroyer has arrived at the Port of Mombasa for a scheduled visit, highlighting the growing maritime-security cooperation between Kenya and the United States.
The Arleigh Burke-class USS Ross (DDG 71) arrived in Mombasa on Saturday, September 5, as part of its current deployment in the U.S. Navy’s 6th Fleet area of operations.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for U.S. sailors to rest and resupply while engaging with Kenyan maritime partners and the local community. It also gives the U.S. Navy access to regional logistical facilities to support the readiness of its vessels operating in and around East Africa.
U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Susan M. Burns said the port call demonstrated the practical nature of the security partnership between Kenya and the United States.
“This visit reflects the practical strength of the U.S.-Kenya partnership and our long record of working together on shared regional interests,” Burns said.
She said established arrangements between the two countries enable logistical support for U.S. forces operating in the region, while port visits facilitate professional exchanges between American and Kenyan personnel.
The arrival of USS Ross also comes against the backdrop of Kenya’s participation in Exercise Cutlass Express, a U.S.-sponsored multinational maritime-security exercise involving countries in East Africa and the western Indian Ocean.
The exercise focuses on strengthening participating countries’ ability to counter illicit maritime activities and improve coordination at sea. The United States has also identified al-Shabaab and ISIS among the shared security threats it seeks to address with Kenyan and other regional partners.
USS Ross commanding officer Cmdr. Pia Chapman said the Mombasa visit would give the ship’s crew an opportunity to rest following its deployment while continuing engagements with Kenyan partners.
“Our Sailors have worked exceptionally hard throughout this deployment, executing with discipline and teamwork,” Chapman said.
The destroyer deployed in March as part of the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group, which includes the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Carrier Strike Group 10 staff, Carrier Air Wing 7, USS Mason (DDG 87), and other guided-missile destroyers.
Since April, Ross has been operating in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations, where the Navy says it has supported Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. blockade against Iran.
Its subsequent operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area cover Europe and Africa, where the Navy conducts operations alongside allied and partner forces to support U.S. security interests and regional stability.
The Mombasa port call therefore places Kenya within the wider network of regional maritime partnerships used by the United States to sustain naval readiness and maintain access to strategic ports along the western Indian Ocean.
For Kenya, the visit further underlines the strategic importance of Mombasa as a regional maritime hub and a point of engagement between the country and international security partners operating in the Indian Ocean.
