During Operation Southern Watch, US, British and French ships patrolled the region. This led to a notable instance of cooperation with the Russian guided-missile destroyer Admiral Vinogradov (BPK-554).

As part of these joint exercises (communication, manoeuvres, signal training), a Ka-27 Helix stationed on the Admiral Vinogradov landed on the flight deck of the USS Ranger. This exchange between former Cold War adversaries marked a milestone in their cooperation.

Shortly after these operations, the USS Ranger left the Gulf in December 1992 and was deployed off the coast of Somalia for the humanitarian mission Operation Restore Hope.