The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Detroit (LCS 7) departed its homeport of Mayport, Florida, for the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility on its maiden deployment Oct. 31.
Detroit will conduct operations in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South’s Campaign MARTILLO, a multinational effort launched in January 2012 targeting illicit trafficking routes in coastal waters along Central America.
Detroit’s operations will involve practical exercises and exchanges with partner nations, supporting U.S. 4th Fleet interoperability and reinforce the U.S. position as the regional partner of choice.
(USS Detroit successfully eliminates all targets in a small boat raid attack using Longbow Hellfire missiles as part of the Surface to Surface Missile Module (SSMM) during a test event on Nov. 12, 2018. The module is the newest addition to the LCS Surface Warfare Mission Package. USS Detroit has been supporting the SSMM testing off the coast of Virginia since testing began in July. The SSMM has been more than 90 percent successful in testing to date. Courtesy of NAVSEApa and YouTube. Posted on Dec 14, 2018.)
“I expect this deployment to offer a great opportunity to work together with regional partners throughout Southern Command Area of Responsibility,” said Capt. Cory Applebee, Commander, Surface Warfare Division Two One.
The deployment of Detroit is the first deployment of an LCS in support of MARTILLO and the second deployment of the Freedom variant to the region.
The first deployment was USS Freedom (LCS 1) in 2010.
MARTILLO includes twenty partner nations committed to a regional approach against targeting illicit trafficking routes.
The deployment of an LCS to the region demonstrates the U.S. commitment to regional cooperation and security.
Detroit’s shallow draft provides unparalleled opportunities for port access, making Freedom variant an ideal vessel for these types of engagements.
