USS Coronado , seen here during its sea trials. A similar vessel to this type, USS Montgomery , has arrived at Changi Naval Base as part of plans to rotationally deploy the LCS in Singapore. (US Navy)
The US Navy’s (USN’s) Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Montgomery (LCS 8) arrived at Singapore’s Changi Naval Base on 6 July, marking the service’s fourth rotational deployment of this vessel type to the republic.
Montgomery is part of the USN’s long-standing plan to rotationally deploy LCSs out of Singapore. Previous ships that have operated out of the republic’s Changi and Sembawang naval bases are namely USS Freedom (LCS 1), USS Fort Worth (LCS 3), and USS Coronado (LCS 4).
Coronado departed Singapore in November 2017 after a 14-month tour-of-duty in Southeast Asia, and there have been no other rotational deployments of the LCS in the republic since then.
“Rotational deployments by our littoral combat ships provide the presence and flexibility that are so important in this region,” said Rear Admiral Joey Tynch, commander, Logistics Group Western Pacific, in a statement released by the US Embassy in Singapore.
“This platform is a utility player, ready to perform a full spectrum of tasking from maritime security operations and theatre security co-operation to humanitarian assistance and disaster response. That versatility strengthens our ability to integrate with our partner navies in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.
While operating out of Singapore, Montgomery is expected to conduct operations, exercises, and port visits across the region, including at ports that are not accessible by the USN’s larger ships. “The manoeuvrability, shallow draught, and tailored mission packages make Montgomery
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
