The Navy's forward-deployed Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin (DDG 89) completed a Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) recertification Nov. 2.

Naval Surface Fire Support includes the Navy's destroyers and cruisers' ability to provide support from the sea to protect the Marine Corps operations on the shore.

"NSFS has been conducted by the U.S. Navy since World War II and to be able to follow in those footsteps of our predecessors is a great opportunity," said Lt. j.g. Randy Johnson, from Sumter, South Carolina. "It gives you a nostalgic feeling being able to still perform and defend our ground forces like our forefathers did."

Effectively executing fire support requires the pilothouse and combat information center (CIC) to work together to position the ship in the proper location and prepare to fire.

The watchstanders aboard the ship coordinate communications with ground forces and then the CIC receives inputs from spotters on the ground and uses the information to provide fire support.

Mustin fired over 75 rounds from the Mark 45 5-inch gun at a practice target during a scenario-based exercise. The destroyer was presented with the challenge of using indirect fire to shoot at targets which were not visible from the ship.

"It's exciting to finally get to shoot and put our skills to the test," said Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Jamill Clark from Orlando, Florida.

Mustin is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations as part of the Ronald Reagan Strike Group - a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia-Pacific.

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