Navy destroyer returns after grueling 11-month deployment as longer tours become the new normal

The guided-missile destroyer Michael Murphy returned to Pearl Harbor on Thursday after a 346-day deployment that spanned the South China Sea and North Arabian Sea. The ship conducted Tomahawk missile strikes during Operation Epic Fury, made 12 contested transits through the Strait of Hormuz, and underwent a change of command when its previous commander was relieved after 11 months. The destroyer was part of the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group for much of its extended tour.

This deployment reflects a new reality for the U.S. Navy, where 10- to 11-month tours are becoming standard—a significant increase from the typical 7-month deployments of recent decades. The Navy's top enlisted sailor has confirmed these longer deployments will be the norm for at least several years, with another destroyer just completing a 12-month tour and a Japan-based crew expecting 13-14 months. This shift represents a substantial increase in operational tempo and strain on sailors and their families as the Navy maintains its global presence.