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Visitors Impressed with USS Lake Erie

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS030528-10

Release Date: 5/29/2003 10:05:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class John Watts, Naval Media Center Pearl Harbor Public Affairs

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Acting Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Hansord T. Johnson, Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Walter Doran visited Sailors aboard USS Lake Erie (CG 70) recently in its homeport of Hawaii.

Their visit was highlighted by a brief Lake Erie Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Anhalt gave on the ship's last missile defense test, the Standard Missile (SM) 3. Lake Erie is one of two ships designated to test the SM-3, which is designed to intercept and neutralize the threat of ballistic missiles to the United States and its allies. Lingle was pleased with the capabilities of the Hawaii-based ship.

"It's very technologically driven right now, and that's why I'm so impressed. It's very much akin to video games in its mechanics, yet it's very serious in the protection of our country."

During Lake Erie's last test, they shot down their target on its ascent, which requires quicker reaction time from the crew.

"Everything is rehearsed and re-rehearsed and re-reehearsed," said Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) Eric Corn. "Once you actually get on the range to shoot down the target, there's not much of a thought process at all. It's all reaction."

Johnson said that military considerations will ultimately dictate whether the future of the missile defense system remains in Hawaii; however, Lingle believes Hawaii is a key location for this technology.

"Hawaii is ideally located for number of reasons, not just technological reasons but geographic reasons, to parts of the world right now that are serious issues for the American military, such as North Korea."

To this point, Lake Erie has been a successful test platform for the missile defense system, intercepting missiles in various conditions. Johnson seemed unsurprised by their successes and attributed them to the crew.

"We're certainly very very proud of what this crew is doing. And they're proud of their contributions."