EAST CHINA SEA (December 6, 2010) - Senior leadership from the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, embarked aboard the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) for exercise Keen Sword 2011, participate in a video tele-conference concerning the dayâs events of the exercise. Essex, commanded by Capt. Troy Hart, is part of the forward-deployed Essex amphibious Ready Group and is on patrol in the Western Pacific. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark R. Alvarez/Released
