Working with the PLA Navy

Watching the watchers.

RIMPAC 2016: LCS-4 Exercises With Chinese Navy Ahead Of First Deployment To Asia

By: Megan Eckstein

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – The Littoral Combat Ship USS Coronado (LCS-4) has had an opportunity to work with Chinese ships and naval crews during the Rim of the Pacific 2016 exercise and develop an understanding with their counterparts ahead of the ship’s maiden deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet, which will almost certainly include spending time patrolling the South China Sea.

Cmdr. Scott Larson, commanding officer of Coronado and LCS Crew 204, told USNI News in a phone interview from his ship at sea Wednesday that the Chinese navy has been professional and helpful during the multinational biennial exercise. He said he attended a reception aboard a Chinese ship during the harbor phase early in the exercise, and “they’ve been a warm and welcoming audience since I’ve been here.”

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Source: news.usni.org