Heavily armed US missile destroyer departs Portsmouth after completing crucial Nato op

Bright blue skies over Portsmouth naval base contrasted starkly with the dark grey, slightly menacing look of USS Bulkeley as she moved away from the jetty and made her way out of the harbour.

The Arleigh-Burke class of destroyer – one of more than 70 in the US fleet – made a brief stopover on our shores after participating in the Nato operation Baltic Sentry.

Taking place in the Baltic Sea, the operation was launched in January to protect vital assets such as undersea cables and pipelines from Russian sabotage.

• Nato launches new Baltic Sentry mission to counter Russian undersea cable threat
• Sweden investigates Baltic cable damage as Nato ramps up patrols in the region
• Baltic Sentry: Nato's operation to protect undersea infrastructure from attack

During her time in Portsmouth, USS Bulkeley represented the most powerful air defence asset in the UK. 

She is equipped with an Aegis control system, Tomahawk missiles, towed array sonar, and anti-submarine rockets.

As the first US naval vessel to join Baltic Sentry, her presence sends a powerful message to Russia – one of unity among the North Atlantic alliance.

Looking a little rusty and work-worn, a few sailors stood to attention as the ship headed out of Portsmouth and into the Solent, their brief visit to the home of the Royal Navy at an end.