USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) RETURNS FROM MAIDEN DEPLOYMENT

Members of the "Blue" crew of the USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) were reunited with their family members on December 23 when the ship returned to her homeport of San Diego, marking the completion of the first deployment of a Littoral Combat Ship.

FREEDOM deployed from San Diego on March 1, with her "Gold" crew in charge, for operations with the U.S. 7th Fleet.  Operating primarily from Singapore, the ship participated in a number of theater security cooperation and maritime presence operations with partner nations.  In August, her Blue crew relied the Gold crew, continuing operations which included providing humanitarian assistance and disaster response in the Philippines following Typhoon Haiyan.

"This deployment was a huge success for the LCS program, for us as a crew, and for the Navy in general," said Cmdr. Dale Heinken, commanding officer of Freedom's Blue Crew. "The sailors did very well executing the mission."

You can read about FREEDOM's Christmas week homecoming in these stories published by the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times.

USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) UNDERWAY FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA

FLIGHT QUARTERS!  --  USS FREEDOM LCS (1) lands

her MH- 60 Sea Hawk helicopter after departing San Diego.

 

 

SAN DIEGO, March 1, 2013  --  USS FREEDOM (LCS 1) sailed today on her maiden deployment to Southeast Asia and her forward deployed base in Singapore. 

 

According to a Navy press release, during the eight month deployment, Freedom will complete the first of many planned rotational deployments to the Western Pacific for the new LCS platform.  Freedom will conduct maritime security operations with regional partners and allies.  After making initial port visits in Hawaii and Guam, Freedom is expected to participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) in Singapore and in select phases of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series in Southeast Asia.

 

Freedom's "Gold" crew set sail under commander of the ship's Gold Crew commanding officer, Commander Timothy Wilke, USN.

During this first deployment of the Navy's first Littoral Combat Ship, Freedom will demonstrate her operational capabilities and allow the Navy to evaluate crew rotation and maintenance plans. Fast, agile, and mission-focused, LCS platforms are designed to employ modular mission packages that can be configured for three separate purposes: surface warfare, mine countermeasures, or anti-submarine warfare.

"One of the things we're working on is communicating what we can and can't do with this ship," said Wilke in remarks quoted in the news release. "We need to figure out how to best employ littoral combat ships in our Navy and figure out how we can best use them when working with partner nations."

 

Following initial port visits in Hawaii and Guam, Freedom is expected to participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX) in Singapore and in select phases of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series in Southeast Asia.

U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander, Admiral Cecil Haney, was also commented on Freedom's deployment:  "Freedom's maiden deployment is another clear signal of the Navy's enduring commitment to maintain security and stability in the vital Asia-Pacific region," said Haney.  "Rotationally deploying our new littoral combat ships improves our warfighting capability and directly supports the Navy's rebalance strategy to the Asia-Pacific."

Freedom's "Gold" crew of 91 sailors include mission package personnel and an aviation detachment to operate an embarked MH-60 helicopter. Midway through Freedom's deployment, a crew swap will be conducted with her "Blue" crew, commanded by Commander. Patrick C. Thien.

Freedom will remain homeported in San Diego throughout this rotational deployment to Southeast Asia.  Freedom's Facebook page has seven photos posted of underway operations after departing San Diego.

 

 



MOTOWN, HERE WE COME!

 

 

 

This is an awesome photo of the USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) during sea trails in Lake Michigan.  She was commissioned in Galveston, Texas in September and is now home ported at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor.  (OK, it may have a "joint" name today, but for us sailors, it will always be "Pearl".)

 

Earlier today, I participated in a DOD Bloggers Roundtable with Maj. Gen. Michael Keltz, USAF, Director for Strategic Planningand Policy, U.S. Pacific Command.  One of my questions was on the forward deployment of USS Freedom (LCS 1) to Singapore, with future LCS's including the USS Detroit (LCS 7) to follow.  I will post my report here, as well as on the www.NavyMemorial.org site and my other blog site www.saluteourtroopsandveterans.blogspot.com in a few days.  General Keltz, a native of Hawaii, (his father endured the attack on December 7th,) shared his perspective on international military and bilateral cooperation in the area the Pacific Command has responsibility. A recording of the bloggers conference is available on DODLive.mil.  Needless to say, it was a very interesting 30 minute interaction with one of our key military leaders at the Pacific Command.  Look for my post in a few days.

 

In the meantime, we look forward to the USS Detroit joining the Navy fleet in 2015.