On 5 January 2007, "Vella Gulf" departed on a six-month cruise as part of the Expeditionary Strike Group (BATESG). She conducted operations in the Persian Gulf, Northern Arabian Sea with the French aircraft carrier (in support of Operation Enduring Freedom), Gulf of Oman and Gulf of Aden. She participated in multi-national exercises, including AMAN '07, hosted by Pakistan. "Vella Gulf" visited Agadir, Morocco and Gaeta, Italy as liberty ports of call, and twice visited Manama, Bahrain. She returned to her home port in Norfolk, Virginia on 3 July 2007.