An American naval ship, the guided missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70), was in Colombo last Tuesday for a ten-hour refuelling stop. This was the first visit of an American naval ship to Sri Lanka in more than eight years.

Commissioned in 1997, the USS Hopper is one of the latest Arleigh Burkeclass Aegis guided missile destroyers. It has been assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, but will join the United States Central Command’s Fleet after departing Colombo and will patrol the western Indian ocean as part of operation Enduring Freedom.

The USS Hopper was named after Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, a pioneer in computer technology during World War II and one of the earliest female admirals in the United States Navy.

The vessel was under the command of United States Navy Commander Ken Auten, who called on senior Sri Lanka Navy officials during the ship’s brief stay in Colombo.