A Navy warship is joining the effort to secure the U.S. southern border — an unusual move announced by the Pentagon over the weekend.

The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer most recently deployed to the Middle East, departed Virginia on Saturday on its new mission to operate in U.S. and international waters, according to the Pentagon.

A specialized Coast Guard maritime policing team, known as a Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), will be aboard the ship.

“Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty and security,” Northern Command leader Gen. Gregory Guillot

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