From 19 March 2011, "Mount Whitney" served in the Mediterranean as the main command vessel for the enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 against Libya. She was the flagship for Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, who had tactical command of the Operation Odyssey Dawn joint task force. The vessel was serving as a command-and-control vessel for the United States' involvement in the coalition campaign aimed to enforce a Libya no-fly zone and prevent Muammar Gaddafi's forces from attacking the rebel stronghold of Benghazi.