Family members and friends on the pier displayed homemade banners while they welcomed the ship as she maneuvered up the Cooper River on 28 September.

On 21 February, Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron (Light—HSL-42) Detachment 3, equipped with a single Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) Mk III, embarked on board Klakring.

[1] The destroyer Comte de Grasse and Klakring sailed as MEF 3-85 Transit Group for the Middle East Force on 7 June 1985.

As the ship crossed the Red Sea, she began to observe the weekends on Thursdays and Fridays to assimilate crewmen to Muslim daily routines.

Klakring sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, and on 7 July rendezvoused with command ship La Salle near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The frigate's Seahawk flew an average of two sorties per day, and the crew reported that the presence of the strong temperature inversion made radar ranges of 160 nautical miles at altitudes below 500 ft (150 m) common, which extended the helo's patrol coverage of the region.

[1] After topping off her fuel and provisions on 26 October 1985, Klakring made for Ash Shuaibah, Kuwait, as the flagship for Commander Middle East Force.

On 9 November, Klakring rendezvoused with Comte de Grasse and the two ships formed a transit group back to the United States.

While the ship sailed to the operating area, she received a distress call from King Fisher II, a small fishing boat from Charleston.

Klakring proceeded at full speed to King Fisher II, and the ship transferred her emergency party via small boat to render assistance.

The Iranians and Iraqis escalated their attacks against ships sailing in the Persian Gulf during the Iran–Iraq War, and the U.S. launched Earnest Will to maintain freedom of navigation in the area.

On 10 August, Klakring embarked a detachment of Army helicopters and helped coordinate the efforts of British tugs converted for mine sweeping.

Klakring loaded a Coast Guard Rigid Inflatable Boat in preparation for her Caribbean Law Enforcement Operations (CDOPs) on 13 June 1988, setting sail the following day.

The ship embarked a helicopter detachment at Mayport, Florida, on 18 June, and the following day the remaining Coast Guardsmen and their equipment boarded at Miami.

[1] The ship took part in Middle East Force Exercise (MEFEX) 1-89 with destroyer O'Bannon and guided missile frigates De Wert and Hawes in the Caribbean (12–28 October 1988).

On 19 October, Klakring and De Wert anchored off Vieques Island, Puerto Rico, for drills with a Navy Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Team.

The group comprised aircraft carrier Coral Sea, guided missile cruisers Mississippi, San Jacinto, and Thomas S. Gates, guided missile destroyer John King, guided missile frigate Kauffman, frigates Ainsworth and Aylwin, amphibious assault ship Nassau, amphibious transport dock Shreveport, tank landing ship Barnstable County, oiler Monongahela, ammunition ship Butte, and destroyer tender Shenandoah.

[1] The frigate set a course for Palma, Spain, but on 1 August 1989, Arab terrorists in Beirut hanged Lt. Col. William R. Higgins, USMC, a member of the UN peacekeeping forces in Lebanon, and threatened to murder additional hostages they held.

Klakring steamed to Alexandria, where Admiral Macke boarded Coral Sea, and the carrier made for the Eastern Mediterranean as a show of force.

Klakring participated in Display Determination, a multi-national exercise involving U.S., Italian, Spanish, and Turkish forces, across the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas (13 September–2 October).

The Wives Support Group and the ship's Ombudsman, Janice Moore, confirmed that none of the crewmen's dependents sustained serious injuries.

The last two weeks of February were spent preparing for Type Commander's Core Training (TCCT) 2-90 and conducting deck landing qualifications with Helicopter Anti-Submarine Light FORTY SIX in the Jacksonville OPAREA.

During TCCT 2-90, the ship participated in numerous tracking and gunnery exercises, underway refuelings, highline transfers, and anti-submarine warfare evolutions.

On 14 May, the ship was underway en route to Mayport Naval Station, Florida to make final preparations to enter the shipyard.

All hands participated in an Integrated Logistics Overhaul offload of all shipboard parts and supplies completed on 16 May, and on 23 May, Klakring was dry-docked at Atlantic Dry Dock facility to begin the DSRA.

Klakring was scheduled to participate in Caribbean Law Enforcement Operations in November, but a post overhaul hull inspection brought about a change in plans.

The ship successfully received full aviation certification on 27 November, and began final preparations for a Harpoon Missile Tactical Qualification.

In addition, Klakring turned north on 7 December en route to the Boston OPAREA to conduct at sea evaluations of the Navy's new Mk 50 Torpedo.

The ship's Training Readiness Evaluation was completed on 21 December and the holiday stand down period began with a children's Christmas party held on board.

From August to November 2000, USS Klakring (FFG-42) participated in UNITAS 41, conducting exercises with Latin American partner navies and circumnavigating South America.