U.S. Sailors assigned to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21 observe the sun rise next to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter on the flight deck of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) during Dawn Blitz 2017 in the Pacific Ocean Oct. 26, 2017.
Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven exercise designed to train and integrate Navy and Marine Corps units by providing a robust training environment where forces plan and execute an amphibious assault, engage in live-fire events, and establish expeditionary advanced bases in a land and maritime threat environment to improve naval amphibious core competencies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Irwin Sampaga) Original public domain image from Flickr