Littoral combat ship USS Coronado (LCS 4) and the “Wildcards” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23 returned home from an 18-month deployment, Dec. 5.
HSC-23 disembarked the ship earlier in the day, flying back to Naval Air Station North Island. A few hours later, Sailors of LCS Crew 203 greeted friends and family at the pier, ending eight months of an eighteen-month deployment. In April, LCS Crew 203 relieved LCS Crew 204 who had taken Coronado on her maiden deployment beginning in June 2016.
Coronado participated in and conducted various operations in the U.S. 7th fleet, contributing to the littoral combat ship program and to the nation on her maiden deployment.
Coronado also strengthened relationships with many of the nation’s allies, including the republic of Singapore and its navy, which became a temporary homeport for Coronado during her deployment.
During the deployment, Coronado operated with navies of 16 nations, participated in 11 multilateral and bilateral exercises and made 10 strategic port visits across the region. While operating with the Singaporean Navy during the Pacific Griffin exercise near Guam, Coronado fired a Harpoon surface-to-surface missile and successfully struck a target beyond visual range.