'Intercepting the swarm': How the USS Spruance shoots down suicide drones targeting the USS Abraham Lincoln

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Spruance carries 96 Vertical Launch System cells. These cells hold Standard Missile-2 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors to neutralise long-range threats. They form the primary layer of defence for the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group.

The warship uses the advanced Aegis Combat System to detect incoming suicide drones. This integrated radar network tracks multiple hostile uncrewed aerial vehicles simultaneously. It calculates precise trajectories to destroy threats long before they reach the aircraft carrier.

During a transit through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the destroyer intercepted a massive coordinated attack. The crew successfully shot down eight one-way attack drones launched by Houthi forces. They also defeated five ballistic missiles and three cruise missiles with zero damage to the fleet.

When drones breach the outer perimeter, the USS Spruance fires RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles. These fast, highly manoeuvrable interceptors are specifically designed to destroy uncrewed aerial vehicles. They protect the carrier from fast-moving, close-range aerial dangers in complex combat environments.

The US Navy equipped the destroyer with the ODIN solid-state laser system in 2024. This high-intensity directed energy weapon targets the optical sensors of enemy uncrewed aerial systems. It effectively blinds the incoming aircraft without needing to completely destroy them.

As a final line of defence, the ship relies on the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. This automated weapon features a high rate of fire to engage rapidly approaching targets. It shreds any suicide drones or missiles that slip past the long-range interceptors.

The forward deck of the destroyer features a fully automated 5-inch, 62-calibre Mark-45 gun. The crew uses this standard naval cannon to engage surface threats and approaching vessels. It ensures hostile boats cannot get close enough to launch short-range drones.

In a separate major engagement, the warship faced a barrage of 23 combined missiles and drones. The crew demonstrated exceptional tactical precision to shoot down seven uncrewed aerial vehicles. They maintained a 100 per cent interception rate to ensure the safety of their crews.

The USS Spruance travelled over 37,200 nautical miles during its Middle East deployment. It operated continuously alongside the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea. The warship provided a vital, unbroken shield for the 6,000 personnel aboard the carrier.

The destroyer also coordinates with the carrier's aircraft to expand its defensive zone. When an Iranian Shahed-139 drone aggressively approached the fleet, an F-35 fighter jet shot it down. This joint air and sea integration keeps the entire strike group completely secure.