Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)Port Hueneme recently completed a week-long combat system assessment and air defense rehearsal training for USS Anchorage (LPD 23), NAVSEA announced March 21.
NSWC Port Hueneme engineers and technicians provided service expertise for many elements of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock’s systems in addition to performing air defense missile scenarios alongside the ship’s crew in preparation for upcoming live-fire tests.
“In order for the crew to become proficient and confident with their equipment, we have to rehearse the missile firings without actually firing a missile,” said Francisco Torres, NSWC Port Hueneme Combat System Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT) project engineer. “It is a dry run that prepares them for live-fire testing and real world situations.”
During a ship assessment, Sailors and NSWC Port Hueneme staff share important technical, logistics and lessons-learned information, which is vital to the safety and effectiveness of the ship’s offensive and defensive weapons. Services provided by NSWC Port Hueneme personnel enable the ship to proceed with more effective pre-deployment work-ups and ensure the systems are in a state of operational readiness.
“Our visit to Port Hueneme significantly improved our tactical and technical proficiency,” said Capt. Brian J. Quin, USS Anchorage commanding officer. “We were thrilled to be able to host personnel from Naval Base Ventura County and local community leaders to show the hard work that went into bringing this new warship to life by both the shipbuilders and her first crew.”
Amphibious transport dock ships are used to transport Sailors, Marines and land elements for expeditionary warfare missions. These elements include equipment and supplies by embarked air cushion, conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles; and are augmented by helicopters or vertical take-off and landing aircraft in amphibious assault, special operations or expeditionary warfare missions.
Anchorage is home-ported in San Diego and is the seventh San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. She was built in Avondale, La., and delivered to the U.S. Navy Sept. 17. NSWC Port Hueneme is a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command and provides the U.S. Navy with weapon system in-service engineering, logistics, and test and evaluation.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, March 22, 2013; Image: US Navy