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What is an USS Fitzgerald? Meet the US Navy destroyer that Iran allegedly encountered in international waters
An encounter between the USS Fitzgerald and an Iranian helicopter led to conflicting narratives, with the US rejecting Iranian claims of provocation.
On Wednesday, Iran allegedly warned a U.S. destroyer to alter direction after it entered the waters that Iran was watching, causing the U.S. destroyer to retreat, the Iranian state media reported.
The incident occurred around 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday in international waters near the Gulf of Oman, according to U.S. officials.
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US Navy warship and an Iranian military helicopter cite conflicting accounts
An Iranian SH-3 ‘Sea King’ helicopter flew near the Fitzgerald in what Iranian state-controlled media described as a defensive manoeuvre. Reports out of Iran claimed the warship was approaching Iranian-controlled waters in a provocative move.
“This interaction had no impact to USS Fitzgerald’s mission and any reports claiming otherwise are falsehoods and attempts by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to spread misinformation,” a U.S. defense official told Fox News, pushing back hard against Iran's narrative.
“U.S. Central Command will continue to operate safely and professionally in accordance with internationally recognized norms and customs,” the official added.
Iranian media cited that the Sea King helicopter flew over the Fitzgerald and warned the ship to change course. The report claims the U.S. vessel responded with a threat, but the Iranian pilot stayed on mission and repeated the warning. At that point, Iranian military defense systems declared the chopper under full protection, and then only the ship allegedly altered its course and exited the area.
What exactly is the USS Fitzgerald?
The USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer designed to protect U.S. Navy fleets and allies from multiple threats. It’s equipped with the Aegis Combat System, which can track and engage multiple airborne, surface, and subsurface threats simultaneously.
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Named after Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald, a Vietnam War hero, the ship was commissioned in 1995 and is homeported at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan, under the U.S. Seventh Fleet. The Fitzgerald can perform a range of missions, including ballistic missile defense, anti-air warfare, and escort operations.
However, in 2017, it suffered a collision with a Philippine-flagged container ship off the coast of Japan, claiming seven U.S. sailors.
