The guided-missile cruiser Shiloh departed Yokosuka, Japan, this week to head to its new homeport in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
The ship’s transfer falls under a planned rotation of forces in the Pacific, and coincides with the Navy’s FY24 budget request proposal to decommission Shiloh as outlined in the Navy’s FY23 shipbuilding plan, according to Naval Surface Forces officials.
“For nearly two decades, USS Shiloh provided our forward-deployed naval forces the agility and firepower to support our carrier operations, protect sea lanes, deter aggression and reassure allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Adam Cheatham, commanding officer of the Shiloh, in a news release.
“We’ve built long-lasting personal and professional relationships here in Japan that will stay with us forever,” Cheatham said. “Shiloh’s contributions were significant, reinforcing valuable connections over shared visions of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The cruiser first arrived in Yokosuka in 2006 to support operations in the 7th Fleet and the U.S.-Japanese ballistic missile defense program.
As part of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, the cruiser entered the South China Sea in June to conduct maritime security operations, including strike exercises and coordinated tactical training between surface and air units.
The training operations marked the first time the carrier had entered the South China Sea since its 2021 deployment.
The cruiser also participated in Exercise Pacific Griffin 2023 in the Philippine Sea in June, which aimed to facilitate maritime proficiency between the U.S. and the Republic of Singapore.
Shiloh departed Yokosuka for Pearl Harbor on Sept. 5.
