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Caption:
The Joint Venture, a 313-foot, high-speed catamaran, pulls into the Del
Mar boat basin on Camp Pendleton, Calif., July 30 to off-load 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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