Sailors assigned to weapons department conduct handling operations of a 40mm saluting battery during a 21-gun salute evolution aboard future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), as the ship enters its homeport of San Diego for the first time. Their arrival marks the completion of a two-month transit around South America from Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Miss. America is the first ship of its class, replacing the Tarawa-class of amphibious assault ships. As the next generation "big-deck" amphibious assault ship, America is optimized for aviation, capable of supporting current and future aircraft such as the MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. The ship is scheduled to be ceremoniously commissioned Oct. 11 in San Francisco. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Vladimir Ramos/Released)