US warship passes through Dardanelles Strait

ÇANAKKALE - Anadolu Agency

The USS Vella Gulf is 172 meters long, 16 meters wide and equipped with an Aegis air and ballistic missile defensive system. AA Photo

A U.S. guided missile cruiser passed through the Dardanelles Strait earlier Aug. 6 en route to the Marmara Sea.

The USS Vella Gulf is 172 meters long, 16 meters wide and equipped with an Aegis air and ballistic missile defensive system, Tomahawk cruise missiles, anti-submarine missiles and surface-to-air missiles.

The ship entered the Black Sea in May to take part in naval drills in the Black Sea amid the high tension in eastern Ukraine. Since the crisis in Ukraine began in March, the United States has deployed troops to Eastern European countries for joint drills and sent ships to the Black Sea for exercises with NATO states in the area.

However, the 1936 Montreux Convention that governs the Black Sea bars outside countries from keeping warships in the strategic waters for more than 21 days.

The Pentagon has said it will keep up regular deployments of troops to NATO members in Eastern Europe until the end of the year.