U.S. Navy's USS Coronado completes survivability test

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy completed Total Ship Survivability Trial procedures for the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Coronado.

The survivability tests submitted the ship and its crew to damage situations to train personnel for responding to a vessel being hit by a conventional weapon during combat. The test event included flooding, structural failure, electrical failure, fire and smoke.

Littoral Combat Ship program manager Capt. Tom Anderson said Coronado and its crew met survivability requirements.

"Initial indications are that Coronado's performance met, and in multiple cases exceeded, the survivability requirements for this small surface combatant," Anderson said. "I commend the crew for their exceptional performance and dedication while conducting this important test."

In addition to damage control and combat readiness, the test is also designed to evaluate the structural integrity of the vessel.

"The experience provided the crew, through realistic scenarios, an appreciation for what it would take to operate following battle damage onboard an Independence variant warship," Coronado commanding officer Cmdr. Troy A. Fendrick said.

As a littoral combat ship, the Independence-class USS Coronado is fitted to combat operations close to shore. The vessel is the second Independence variant built by Austal USA.