220512-O-NR876-900 SEA OF JAPAN (May 12, 2022) Sailors onboard the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) prepare to launch the MK 18 MOD 1 Swordfish and the on water transportation system (OWTS) via the Twin Boom Extensible Crane (TBEC) during Exercise Noble Vanguard. The Swordfish is an unmanned underwater vehicle with the sonar capabilities to scan the ocean floor for potential mines. Noble Vanguard serves as an enabler to reinforce tactics and techniques of different mission sets that contribute to regional stability.

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Photo credit: © Operation 2022 / Alamy / Afripics
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