By Lt. Lauren Chatmas, DESRON 7 Posted June 25, 2021 USS Tulsa (LCS 16) pulls away from the pier at White Beach Naval Facility in Okinawa. (U.S. Navy/MC1 David R. Krigbaum)
OKINAWA, Japan - Rotationally-deployed littoral combat ships (LCS) in the Indo-Pacific continue to integrate with forces across the region as a part of the Naval Expeditionary Force (NEF) and in support of theater littoral warfare.
Independence-variant LCS USS Tulsa (LCS 16) hosted Navy staff from Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7, and U.S. Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) and subordinate commands while in port naval Base White Beach, Okinawa, for familiarization of the platform, and to explore integration methods for future operability.