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Caption:
The Joint Venture, a 313-foot, high-speed catamaran, lifts its docking
ramp July 30 at the Del Mar boat basin on Camp Pendleton, Calif., after
off-loading troops participating in Millennium Challenge 2002, a joint
exercise testing the military's effectiveness against 21st century
threats. Joint Venture can operate in water as shallow as 12 feet, yet
it's large enough to transport 12 light armored vehicles plus logistics
vehicles as well as approximately 350 combat-loaded troops in its
plush, upholstered passenger lounge, said Capt. William Mitchell, a
spokesman for the exercise. The ship won't replace any existing
ship-to-shore logistics vessels, such as the Landing Craft, Air
Cushioned vehicle, said Mitchell. If implemented, it will only add to
the Corps' ability to practice Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare. (Photo
by Cpl. Jose M. Montes)
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