THE USS Jackson arrived in the CNMI on Monday, June 22 for a scheduled 10-day maintenance operations and liberty ashore.
USS Jackson
Acting Gov. Jude U. Hofschneider welcomed Commander Brian Bungay and sailors aboard the combat ship on the morning of their arrival.
“Welcome to Saipan and thank you for opting to make your way to the CNMI,” he told them. “We always welcome port visits to our islands, and I am sure you and your team will enjoy the experience of the warm hospitality of our islands and the activities that are happening with the Pacific Mini Games and our annual Taste of the Marianas event,” he added.
Commander Bungay led a tour of the ship and shared its capabilities, which include an MQ-8C Fire Scout uncrewed aerial system that provides improved maritime intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capabilities to the forces.
The USS Jackson has over 100 officers and crewmembers.
Joining Hofschneider on the tour were Commonwealth Bureau of Military Affairs officials and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command liaison officer Capt. Kimberly Hofschneider.
The acting governor invited Commander Bungay and the USS Jackson crew and sailors to an island-hop tour to Tinian.
The USS Jackson is the 6th Littoral Combat Ship, or LCS 6, and the 3rd of the Independence variant, attached to Destroyer Squadron 7, or DESRON 7.
The LCS 6 is on a rotational deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in support of security and stability in the region, and to work alongside allied and partner navies to provide maritime security and stability, key pillars of a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Since its deployment in 2021, the USS Jackson, along with the other ships attached to DESRON 7, USS Tulsa and USS Charleston, has been operating throughout the region while conducting maintenance primarily out of Apra Harbor at Naval Base Guam.
