SOUTH CHINA SEA -- Littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) got underway from Sembawang Wharves in Singapore for routine operations and training May 8.

During the underway, Crew 203 is slated to conduct mission-package workups, including Initial Ship Aviation Team Training (ISATT), small-boat operations, and visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) evolutions.

ISATT is designed to fully integrate an aviation detachment with the ship's crew and is an integral component of Coronado's current underway.

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 Air Boss, Lt. Cmdr. Sean Dougherty, talked about the training events scheduled at sea and how they will help the crew throughout deployment.

"Over the next week, we'll be practicing day and night deck-landing qualifications, vertical replenishments, emergency flight quarters, flight deck fire drills and low visibility recoveries for both the MH-60S and MQ-8B Fire Scout," said Dougherty. "The operational capabilities we exercise this week will set the stage for successful flight operations in exercises and operations with regional navies in Southeast Asia throughout this deployment"

The boat crew aboard Coronado plans to use the twin boom extensible crane (TBEC), exclusive to the LCS2 Variant, to lower the 11-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat used for VBSS and personnel transport.

The underway period follows the successful completion of an Engineering Operations Certification (EOC) while in port Singapore. EOC measures the proficiency of the engineering department through monitored drills, and evolutions and was administered by a team from Engineering Assessments Pacific (EAP).

"The crew knew EAP was going to demand of us a very high standard of proficiency," said Cmdr. Douglas Meagher, commanding officer, USS Coronado. "Self study, group training and integrated watch team drills is how we managed to meet this challenge head on."

Currently on a rotational deployment in U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility, Coronado is a fast and agile warship tailor-made to patrol the region's littorals and work hull-to-hull with partner navies, providing 7th Fleet with the flexible capabilities it needs now and in the future.

On behalf of Commander, Task Force 73, Destroyer Squadron 7 serves as operational commander for littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to 7th Fleet, and conducts advanced planning, organizes resources and directly supports the execution of maritime engagements such as the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series, the Naval Engagement Activity (NEA) with Vietnam, and the multilateral Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT) exercise with Bangladesh, Cambodia, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.