USS America fires RIM-116 rolling airframe missile

US Navy’s forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) fired a RIM-116 rolling airframe missile, during routine operations, while underway in the Philippine Sea on 24 January.

The crew aboard the ship detected, tracked, and engaged a target to maintain proficiency of the onboard weapons systems and confirm the crew’s warfighting readiness.

“This exercise demonstrated our team’s ability to work together, coordinate across multiple departments, and ultimately execute safely and effectively,” said Cmdr. Avery Wilson, America’s operations officer.

“We demonstrated that through the hard work of our technicians and logistics support, our equipment is fully operational and our watch-standers in the Combat Information Center are trained and prepared for any threat.”

USS America with Amphibious Squadron 11 and USS Green Bay (LPD 20) are sailing as the America Amphibious Ready Group to create a warfighting team committed to maintaining freedom of navigation and stability in the area of operations.

America, lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.