USS Independence (LCS 2) departed San Diego Jan. 30 for Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., to conduct operational evaluation and testing of the mine countermeasures mission package.
Independence, the lead ship of the Independence variant of the littoral combat ship, will sail through the U.S. 4th Fleet area of responsibility, transiting the Panama Canal and making a port visit to Cartagena, Columbia.
Testing includes grooming the system for the remote multi-mission vehicle, and initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) of the mine countermeasure mission package integrated work-ups. IOT&E is the event that will transition the mission package from testing to fleet use.
The ship is expected to return to San Diego later this year.
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Image: US Navy