211004-N-XG173-1197

PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 4, 2021) Front to back, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ship JS Kashima (TV-3508) participated in a Cooperative Deployment (CODEP). Cooperative Deployments are designed to increase operational readiness and interoperability between participating ships, increase planning and communication abilities, and improve complex maritime operations efficiency and effectiveness. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aja Bleu Jackson)