The Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS COWPENS (CG 63) fires a round from one of her two Mark (MK) 45 5-inch/54 caliber (lightweight) guns during a joint exercise with vessels assigned to the USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The MK 45 lightweight gun provides surface combatants accurate naval gunfire against fast, highly maneuverable surface targets, air threats and shore batteries during amphibious operations. Behind the gun mount are the ships two quad Harpoon missile launchers. The COWPENS is currently operating in the Coral Sea in support of the combined exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2005. Trailing the COWPENS is the USN Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile...

The original finding aid described this photograph as:

[Complete] Scene Caption: The Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS COWPENS (CG 63) fires a round from one of her two Mark (MK) 45 5-inch/54 caliber (lightweight) guns during a joint exercise with vessels assigned to the USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) Carrier Strike Group (CSG). The MK 45 lightweight gun provides surface combatants accurate naval gunfire against fast, highly maneuverable surface targets, air threats and shore batteries during amphibious operations. Behind the gun mount are the ships two quad Harpoon missile launchers. The COWPENS is currently operating in the Coral Sea in support of the combined exercise TALISMAN SABRE 2005. Trailing the COWPENS is the USN Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer USS FITZGERALD (DDG 62). TALISMAN SABRE is an exercise jointly sponsored by the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) and Australian Defense Force Joint Operations Command, and designed to train the US 7th Fleet Commander's staff and Australian Joint Operations staff as a designated Combined Task Force (CTF) headquarters. The exercise focuses on crisis action planning and execution of contingency response operations. USPACOM units and Australian forces will conduct land, sea and air training throughout the training area. More than 11,000 US and 6,000 Australian personnel will participate.

Subject Operation/Series: CLEARED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE BY LT.CMDR. TERRY DUDLEY, USS KIT

Base: USS Cowpens (CG 63)

Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

Scene Camera Operator: PH3 Bo J. Flannigan, Usn

Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files