U.S. Navy minemen typically serve aboard minesweepers, also known as mine countermeasure ships, to detect and neutralize underwater mines. Minemen are also tasked with assembling and testing underwater explosive devices...

Mineman 2nd Class Samuel Vazquez, from Odessa, Texas, signals for an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, to take off from the flight deck of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) transits the Philippine Sea...

Cmdr. Travis Dvorak, the commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), fires an M240B machine gun during a weapons exercise...

Mineman 2nd Class Samuel Vazquez, from Odessa, Texas, left, and Mineman 1st Class Nigel Littleton, from Colorado Springs, Colo., fight a fire during damage control training aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Dorothy Mance, from Chicago, places a tray of fish in the food line before lunch aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Chief Quartermaster Matthew Rivera, from Mount Bethel, Penn., walks on the flight deck during security watch aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Lt. j.g. Hannah Denny, from Ridley Park, Penn., wipes down a door frame during cleaning stations aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Sailors step forward with a fire-hose during aviation firefighting training aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Cmdr. Travis Dvorak, the commanding officer of the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), describes Tulsa’s weapon capabilities to Sailors from the German Navy frigate Bayern (F 217) on the ship’s fo’c’sle...

Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Damian Guerraguerra, from Las Vegas, stands security watch in the pilot house aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Aerographer’s Mate 1st Class Andrew Thomas, from Surprise, Ariz., maintains control of a mooring line during sea and anchor aboard the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

Mineman 2nd Class Samuel Vazquez, from Odessa, Texas, signals for an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, to land aboard the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16)...

The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) sails with the German Navy frigate Bayern (F 217) and the Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6)...