The San Diego-based littoral combat ship USS Freedom arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility this week, where began its eight-month deployment in Southeast Asia.
Vice Adm. Scott Swift, commander of the 48 million square mile 7th Fleet, said of Freedom's arrival in the region:
"Freedom's deployment to Southeast Asia is a tremendous opportunity to bring our newest capability forward to conduct maritime security operations, port visits, and exercises with our allies, partners and friends alongside other 7th Fleet units."
The Freedom is the Navy's very first littoral combat ship (LCS). The LCS is a fast and easily maneuverable ship, according to Naval-Technology.com:
LCS is designed to satisfy the urgent requirement for shallow draft vessels to operate in the littoral (coastal waters) to counter growing potential 'asymmetric' threats of coastal mines, quiet diesel submarines and the potential to carry explosives and terrorists on small, fast, armed boats.
The USS Freedom left its homeport of San Diego on March 1. The ship then made a port visit to Hawaii from March 11-14. The Freedom's next port visit will be in Guam.
