The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and its crew of 350 Sailors entered the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR), June 11.

Chancellorsville, the first Aegis cruiser to be outfitted with Aegis Baseline 9, will enhance presence in the U.S. 7th Fleet AOR by conducting theater security cooperation engagements and maritime security operations while maintaining stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

"Chancellorsville's fundamental mission is to conduct prompt and sustained combat operations at sea," said Capt. Curt Renshaw, Chancellorsville's commanding officer. "The ship provides an agile, flexible, responsive and robust set of capabilities to the 7th Fleet AOR."

Chancellorsville will join U.S. 7th Fleet's Forward Deployed Naval Forces and will bring a host of new technological advancements and warfighting capabilities to the region.

"We have spent over one year preparing for our addition to U.S. 7th Fleet's Forward Deployed Naval Forces Japan, and we are ready for whatever tasking comes our way," said Renshaw. "That readiness is a reflection not only of the tremendous capabilities inherent in Aegis Baseline 9, but is also a testament to the hard work and positive attitude of the crew."

Chancellorsville, having recently completed a detailed modernization and testing program, has the Navy's most advanced air and missile defense system. It will be the first forward-deployed ship to have the latest version (called Baseline 9) of the Aegis Weapon System, a computer-based system for defending a carrier strike group against air and missile attacks.

The Baseline 9 upgrades installed on board include an overall Aegis Weapon System upgrade coupled with an improved cooperative engagement capability, a more robust surface to air missile capability, the AN/SPQ-9B integrated for anti-missile defense, AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 sonar system upgrades, and a gun weapon system upgrade that includes installation of two 5''/62 caliber gun mounts, the Electro-Optical Sighting System and the MK 160 Fire Control System.

Chancellorsville is a multi-mission air warfare, undersea warfare, naval surface fire support and surface warfare combatant ship capable of supporting carrier strike groups, amphibious forces, or of operating independently and as flagships of surface action groups.