The USS America conducted joint helicopter training with the Army and Marine Corps earlier this month on the way to its new homeport of San Diego.
The amphibious assault ship served as a floating airfield for units of the Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 off the coast of Pearl Harbor from Sept. 7 to 11.
Army and Marine Corps crews flew CH-47F Chinook transports, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors, executing more than 200 deck landings. The training boosted the crews’ overwater operational proficiency and earned them deck landing qualifications critical for maritime environments.
“This joint training enhances interoperability amongst the services and increases our capacity to project combat power from sea,” said Cmdr. Cole Weideman, the America’s air officer. “By working together, we improve our collective readiness and ability to respond to any contingency.”
“This training is extremely valuable for the 25th Infantry Division and the 25th CAB,” said Chief Warrant Officer Michael James. “It allows us to be proficient in deck landing operations, which increases our lethality and operability with our Navy and Marine partners. Overall, it increases the U.S. military’s combat power.”
The warship has long been forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan, but will make Naval Base San Diego its new homeport after the current deployment.
