Families welcome the USS Savannah as it returns to Naval Base San Diego. (Photo by Kassandra Alanis/U.S. Navy)
The littoral combat ship USS Savannah returned to Naval Base San Diego this week following a 12-month deployment throughout the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operation in the Pacific Ocean.
It was the maiden deployment for the new warship, which operates with two crews, allowing it to remain in theater for long-duration missions.
“I’m honored to welcome home the crew of the Savannah after a long and challenging deployment,” said Capt. Jose Roman, commodore of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron 1, as the ship arrived Thursday.
“This warship showed strength in presence in strategically vital waterways and worked closely with our allies and partners across the Indo-Pacific,” he said. “I know the families here today are just as proud of their sailors as I am.”
The Savannah conducted numerous multilateral exercises and port visits across the region, stopping in Cambodia, Singapore, Brunei, Palau, the Philippines, and the Marshall Islands, to enhance regional maritime cooperation and interoperability among the U.S. and its allies.
It was the first U.S. Navy ship in eight years to conduct a port visit in Cambodia, and in May participated in live-fire exercises with ships from the Philippine and Japanese navies in Exercise Balikatan 2025.
The Savannah is an Independence-class littoral warship, a unique trimaran design. It is 418 feet long and armed with a main gun, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, and machine guns, as well as two helicopters. It is designed to operate in near-shore environments and can sprint at speeds over 50 mph.
The Navy has 16 active Independence-class ships, all based in San Diego, and one more under construction by Austal USA.