150427-N-IK337-212 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 27, 2015) -

150427-N-IK337-212 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 27, 2015) - USS Freedom (LCS 1) comes alongside USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). U.S. Navy ships are underway conducting an Independent Deployer Certification Exercise in the Southern California Operating Area. The exercise provides a multi-ship environment to train and certify independent deployers in surface warfare, air defense, maritime interception operations, command and control/information warfare, command, control, computers and combat systems intelligence and mine warfare. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Christopher Frost/Released)