USS America trains with Army helicopters on way to new San Diego homeport

The USS America conducted joint helicopter training with the Army and Marine Corps earlier this month on the way to its new homeport of San Diego.

The amphibious assault ship served as a floating airfield for units of the Army’s 25th Combat Aviation Brigade and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 off the coast of Pearl Harbor from Sept. 7 to 11.

Army and Marine Corps crews flew CH-47F Chinook transports, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and MV-22B Osprey tiltrotors, executing more than 200 deck landings. The training boosted the crews’ overwater operational proficiency and earned them deck landing qualifications critical for maritime environments.

“This joint training enhances interoperability amongst the services and increases our capacity to project combat power from sea,” said Cmdr.