World Millitary Power

A US Navy (USN) Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has completed the Independence class' first 'final contract trials', officials announced on 6 June.

USS Coronado (LCS 4), the second aluminium trimaran LCS variant built by Austal USA, passed the four-day trial, which included at-sea demonstrations of the vessel's main propulsion plant, combat systems, 57 mm gun, and boat handling systems.

Overseen by the navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, the trial was part of a series of post-delivery test and trial events that exercised the ship's manoeuverability and its ability to conduct air and surface detect-to-engage missions, launch and recover an 11 m rigid hull inflatable boat, and fire its weapons.

Coronado is expected to participate in the navy's Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in July, operating with a group of US and Canadian ships off southern California, after which it will conduct a Post Shakedown Availability. In 2015 the ship is expected to embark a surface warfare mission package for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation before it departs on its maiden overseas deployment to Singapore.

Sister ship Independence (LCS 2), the lead ship of the class, is expected to participate in the main RIMPAC exercise off the coast of Hawaii.