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SOUTH CHINA SEA (April 25, 2025) The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Omaha (LCS 12) steams with the Royal Australian Navy Hobart-class guided-missile destroyer HMAS Sydney (DDG 42) in the South China Sea, April 25, 2025. Omaha is conducting a joint sail with the Royal Australian Navy in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. Omaha, part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, is on a rotational deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet. As the U.S. Navy’s destroyer squadron forward-deployed in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of littoral combat ships rotationally deployed to the operational area, Expeditionary Strike Group 7’s Sea Combat Commander, and builds partnerships through training exercises and military-to-military engagements. (Courtesy photo by Royal Australian Navy Leading Seaman David Cox)