U.S. Marines with 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit deploy equipment serving as an advanced staging platform aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), during Noble Jaguar 2021, Oct. 5, 2021...

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) transits the Philippine Sea during routine operations...

Engineman 1st Class Ryan Schneider, from Spencerville, Ohio, assigned to Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), collects a fuel sample, during an underway replenishment-at-sea...

Commanding Officer of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) Cmdr. Clayton Beas, from Bloomington, Calif., uses binoculars in the pilot house during routine operations...

Sailors stand ready prior to flight operations aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

Timelapse of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) leaving Arpa Harbor, Guam...

Basic B-Roll of Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18). Charleston, part of Destroyer Squadron Seven...

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) moors pier side in Apra Harbor, Guam...

Culinary Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jeremy Reynolds, from Chicago, prepares a stew in the galley aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Jerry Brown, from Middletown, Ohio, conducts maintenance on a navigational console on the bridge aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

Sailors participate in a small boat training exercise aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

Sailors guide an 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat during a Twin Boom Extensible Crane training evolution in the mission bay aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

Engineman 3rd Class James Whitaker, from Dunn, N.C., replaces deck sand paper strips on a staircase aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

210921-N-PH222-2196 PACIFIC OCEAN (Sep. 21, 2021) Sailors assigned to Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) conduct small boat operations during a routine training exercise...

A MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, assigned to the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat (HSC) Squadron 21, prepares to land on the flight deck aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), during routine flight operations...

USS Charleston conducts RAS with Royal New Zealand Navy HMNZS Aotearoa and HMNZS Te Kaha...

USS Charleston Sailor Hoists National Ensign...

210921-N-PH222-1024 PHILIPPINE SEA (Sep. 20, 2021) Sailors form a hose team while participating in a crash and salvage exercise on the flight deck aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

210920-N-PH222-1118 SANTA RITA, GUAM (Sep. 20, 2021) Sailors heave in line, during a sea and anchor detail aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18)...

PHILIPPINE SEA (Sep. 20, 2021) Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), right, sails with Royal New Zealand Navy ship HMNZS AOTEAROA (A11), as seen from HMNZS TE KAHA (F77), during a division tactics exercise...

Master Chief Damage Controlman Christian Bolanos, right, from Buga, Colombia, receives the Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist (EAWS) pin from Chief Engineman Jaron White, from Victorville, Calif., during an award ceremony aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Aug...

210830-N-WU807-1049 PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 30, 2021) Mineman 1st Class Kevin Blanchard, center, from Fitchburg, Mass., actuates a chem light during a man-overboard drill aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Aug. 30...

Naval Air Crewman 2nd Class Oleg Bylogurov, from Portland, Ore., inspects the tail rotor of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 assigned to Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Aug. 28...

Sailors train using pistols during small arms training aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Aug. 27...

Chief Mineman Daniel Chaboya, from Tucson, Ariz., climbs a ladder during damage control training aboard Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18), Aug. 26...