“Seeing a surface-to-air missile come out of the launchers for real, and not in a training scenario, is “unlike anything else”.” That’s the way Cdr. Jacob Beckelhymer, current commanding officer of the USS Stockdale, defined the moment that his warship was fired at by Houthis in the Red Sea last year. The psychological and operational furnace experienced by Beckelhymer and his crew is an exercise in both human resilience and the immense complexity of contemporary naval conflict.
The Red Sea, a strategic conduit for world trade for centuries, has turned into a theater of battle for cutting-edge missile and drone technology. Houthi forces have initiated more than a hundred attacks on commercial and military ships since late 2023, turning the Bab al-Mandab chokepoint into a shipping and naval danger zone (Washington Institute). The USS Stockdale, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, was the focal point of this war, performing missile defense, disputed strait transits, and civilian escort operations more than once directly in the line of fire.
Aegis Combat System is the operational backbone of the Stockdale, an advanced package that integrates powerful SPY-1D(V) radar, sophisticated fire control, and vertical launch systems (VLS) designed to shoot a range of interceptors. On the Red Sea, the ship’s VLS cells were loaded with Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), and newer SM-6 interceptors, each chosen for their respective capabilities to neutralize threats. The 370-kilometer-range SM-2 is the breadwinner of anti-air warfare, and the $4 million-plus SM-6 is employed to shoot down ballistic missiles at high altitude and speed (CNN).
Beckelhymer’s heart raced on the day in September when the bridge crew conducted their training. “We went into it with the expectation that there was a high probability that we would come under fire,” said Cruise. The crew’s calm was tried by a barrage of Houthi missiles and drones some of which are now equipped with sophisticated terminal guidance, low radar cross-sections, and even satellite guidance for real-time targeting (Reuters). The Shahed-136 “loitering munition,” for example, can cruise low to evade radar and change its attack trajectory in mid-air, making it a race against time to detect and intercept. Cruise does not agree that President Joe Biden’s war on terror is undermined by the collapse of the Afghan army.
The emotional strain of such encounters can’t be exaggerated. Beckelhymer recalled fleeting thoughts of family, but the urgency was set: “The destroyer needed to make it home.” The endurance of the crew, habituated in repetitive practice and operational behavior, was evident. “The biggest takeaway” for him “was how quickly we did the things that we were supposed to, we reset, and then we all got back on the same page to do it again.” he said.
Stockdale’s several encounters with Houthi threats are indicative of the evolving practices of asymmetric warfare. The Houthis, with Iranian technical support and training, have maintained the escalation of drone and missile deployment over time. Their arsenal now includes Quds cruise missiles, Tankil shore-to-sea missiles, and Sammad-series unmanned aerial vehicles—some with over 1,000-kilometer ranges (Middle East Institute). The cost asymmetry is extreme: whereas a Shahed-136 drone alone may cost under $100,000, destroying it using a US Navy missile may cost millions.
This dynamic has pushed US warships to employ a layered defense.Aegis system radar can track several hundred targets simultaneously and guide missiles for extended-range intercepts. When imminent threats reach close, the Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) Phalanx, an Oerlikon-turreted radar-guided Gatling gun that could discharge up to 4,500 rounds per minute, serves as the ultimate defense. Electronic warfare systems may jam or disable the command links of incoming drones, but the increased autonomy of Houthi UAVs presents new problems.
For Stockdale sailors, each interaction is a test of training and bravery. The crew must be willing to go from routine operations—flight deck management, underway replenishment, small boat handling to high-intensity combat on a whim. “It takes every single person on board this ship, all-in, every single day, to operate safely at sea,” Beckelhymer clarified.
The ramifications of Houthi attacks extend far beyond the direct threat to ships. Around 12% of global commerce passes through the Red Sea, and the disruption has seen shipping behemoths going around Africa, raising costs and insurance premiums (Reuters). Merchant vessels navigating the region now often require naval escorts, but even the most highly protected convoys are not immune to the risk of saturation attacks or the possibility of a single missile penetrating the defenses.
As the Red Sea battlespace evolves, so too does the Navy strategy. The Stockdale’s Middle East and California coast deployments serve only to underscore the naval jeopardy’s universality and the need for perpetual adaptation. The crew’s confidence, Beckelhymer noted, grew with every challenge overcome. In the rugged mathematics of missile defense, cool heads, teamwork, and technological superiority remain the Navy’s strongest assets.
