The first Littoral Combat Ship outfitted with a mine countermeasures package has arrived for a rotational deployment to Bahrain, the Navy announced.
USS Canberra (LCS-30) arrived May 22 to U.S. 5th Fleet’s headquarters perched on the edge of the Persian Gulf.
Canberra and USS Santa Barbara (LCS-32) left San Diego, Calif., in March with the first complete MCM packages for the Middle East, USNI News reported at the time.
“Today is about showcasing the United States’ continued commitment to maritime regional security in a broader sense, but in a specific sense, the friendship that we enjoy and never take for granted with the Kingdom of Bahrain,” U.S. 5th Fleet commander Vice Adm. George Wikoff said in a statement.
“We look forward to leveraging all the capabilities that this ship brings as a next-generation platform, working side-by-side with our Bahraini partners enforcing maritime security in the region.”
Canberra’s arrival will begin the replacement of the Navy’s existing fleet of Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships that have been in service since the late 1980s. The wooden ships and MH-53E Sea Dragon have been the heart of Navy’s MCM effort pending the delivery of a viable MCM package for the LCS.
The package was set to join the service in 2015 but was delayed by more than a decade as the Navy retooled the entire program.
Canberra will be joined by Santa Barbra, and USS Tulsa (LCS-16) will eventually be stationed in Bahrain.
“Canberra’s arrival in Bahrain signifies our commitment to delivering advanced capabilities to further regional maritime security and maintaining our robust partnership with the Royal Bahrain Naval Force,” said Cmdr. Bill Golden, the commanding officer of Canberra’s Blue Crew.
“To see the differences between that platform and what Canberra offers is incredible.”
