SAN DIEGO - The guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), with an embarked detachment from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, is scheduled to depart Naval Base San Diego on an independent deployment, May 8.

While deployed to the Western Pacific and Middle East, Lake Erie will conduct maritime security operations and support theater cooperation efforts.

Lake Erie is a multi-mission ship with ballistic missile defense, anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare capabilities and is designed to operate independently or as part of an associated strike group.

"The crew is excited to deploy," said Capt. Darren McPherson, Lake Erie's commanding officer. "We have been waiting a long time for this moment. Lake Erie left Hawaii in 2014, spent 19 months in the yards, and then had to successfully complete an arduous compressed training phase to get where we are to today. We are prepared and ready to take our turn standing the watch overseas."

Homeported in San Diego, Lake Erie is named in commemoration of the Battle of Lake Erie fought Sept. 10, 1813 and is part of Naval Surface Forces and U.S. 3rd Fleet.

U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy, constantly coordinating with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the Pacific theater of operations.