USS Gridley conducts live-fire exercise in South China Sea

A U.S. Sailor fires a .50-caliber machine gun aboard Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) during a live-fire exercise in the South China Sea, Nov. 2, 2025. Gridley, assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is underway in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations on a scheduled deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Navy's unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Meyer)