U.S. Navy's Amphibious Assault Ship Test Fires Anti-ship Missile in Phillipines Sea

The U.S. Navy's amphibious assault carrier USS America (LHA 6) today fired a RIM-116 rolling airframe missile while underway in the Philippine Sea.

The firing of the anti-ship missile is sure to anger China whose navy and coast guard are freqnently seen patrolling the Philippines sea from the adjoining South China sea, which Beijing consider to be its own territory.

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, a Navy release said.

"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.

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.