Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) completed contractor sea trials on after a nearly two-year fleet absence following the ship's maintenance availability period, Sept. 8.

The ship’s crew, contractors, and Sailors from other ships on the water front executed thousands of hours completing the restoration efforts. As a result, Lake Erie was able to see the hard work over 22 months pay off while at sea.

During contractor sea trials, the crew tested navigation, propulsion, steering, and other critical systems while conducting drills to further our personnel qualification requirements and achieve mission readiness - all to demonstrate the ship and crew are both ready and able to return to operations at sea.

"It is remarkable how the entire maintenance team came together to modernize the world's finest warship to meet tomorrow's demands," said Lt. j.g. Cummings, the ship’s selected restricted availability coordinator.

The crew will complete type commander (TYCOM) sea trials as Lake Erie enters Basic Phase, and continue toward assessments, certifications, and tests geared toward demonstrating and maintaining the ship’s systems and crew proficiency.

Lake Erie is the 24th guided missile cruiser equipped with the AEGIS weapons system and is the eighth Ticonderoga-class cruiser built by Bath Iron Works. Lake Erie was launched July 13, 1991 and commissioned July 24, 1993, and is homeported in San Diego.