The guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations (AOO), March 22.

Paul Hamilton is an independent ballistic missile defense (BMD) ship that will be involved in a variety of operations in U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR).

"Paul Hamilton is a premiere BMD asset of approximately 310 highly trained Sailors looking forward to executing with precision all operational mission tasks independently and in conjunction with carrier strike groups and coalition forces," said Cmdr. John Barsano, commanding officer, Paul Hamilton.

The U.S. 5th Fleet AOO encompasses about 2.5 million square miles of water area, which includes the Arabian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.

Paul Hamilton departed from its homeport in Pearl Harbor Feb. 14, 2015, for a training exercise and its deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO. Paul Hamilton's last deployment to the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO was in 2013.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.cusnc.navy.mil/.