USS Canberra leaves Colombo after scheduled port call

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) departed Colombo on June 14 after a scheduled stop aimed at strengthening ties with the Sri Lanka Navy, underscoring sustained U.S. naval presence and partnership efforts across the Indo-Pacific.

“It’s been an honor for the Canberra crew to conduct this port visit in Colombo,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. James McLaughlin, commanding officer of Canberra. “This visit exemplifies our 80 years of partnership with Sri Lanka, and we are grateful for their continued friendship and support in keeping the Indo-Pacific stable and secure.”

During the visit, Sri Lanka Navy Rear Adm. Jagath Kumara, commander of Western Area Command, hosted McLaughlin for an office call. McLaughlin was accompanied by U.S. Army Lt. Col. Matthew House, the senior defense official and defense attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka. The engagement focused on enhancing cooperation between the two navies and marked the fourth visit to Colombo by a littoral combat ship.

“Even for a brief port visit, we look forward to every opportunity to build stronger people-to-people connections,” said McLaughlin.

Canberra is a fast, mission-tailored surface combatant built to operate in both near-shore and open-ocean environments. The ship can integrate with joint, combined, crewed, and unmanned systems to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control, and deterrence missions around the globe.

In Southeast Asia, Destroyer Squadron 7 serves as the forward-deployed squadron with primary tactical and operational control of assigned ships in the region. U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely works with allies and partners to help preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.