A dramatic photo of the littoral combat ship USS Independence, which is homeported in San Diego, led the Navy’s website over the weekend.
The Independence, the trimaran variant of the littoral combat ship class, is participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.
Twenty-two nations, 49 ships and six submarines, more than 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 26 to Aug. 1. It is the largest naval exercise in the world.
The littoral combat ships are smaller, flexible surface vessels intended for operations in the littoral zone, meaning close to shore. A total of 32 ships are planned for the class.
