WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two U.S. guided-missile destroyers destroyed a handful of Iranian missiles using a combination of weapons, including the Standard Missile 3, a U.S. official confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday.
USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) and USS Cole (DDG-67) fired about a dozen interceptors at Iranian missiles fired at Israel, the Pentagon said Tuesday.
The two destroyers are independently deployed and are in the Eastern Mediterranean as of Monday, according to USNI News’ Fleet and Marine Tracker.
Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder did not have additional details about the destroyers’ involvement in protecting Israel from the barrage of Iranian missiles. Iran fired around 200 ballistic missiles, although it’s unclear whether it also used drones or cruise missiles, Ryder said.
During a conversation with reporters on Wednesday, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti said she couldn’t provide any details about the Tuesday operations, but maintained that the U.S. is committed to guaranteeing that Israel can defend itself.
The cost isn’t the funny bit. The funny bit is that annual production rate of the SM-3 is twelve missiles. We fired a year’s worth of missiles to not stop a single Iranian barrage.
h/t fiveguysoneprius