USS Canberra arrives in Colombo for Second Visit in 2026

The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Canberra (LCS 30) arrived at Colombo, Sri Lanka, Oct. 26, 2026, for a scheduled logistics port call to strengthen relations with the Sri Lanka Navy and regional partners.

The port call marks Canberra’s second visit to Sri Lanka in 2026, following similar logistics stop in June. The visit underscores the U.S. Navy’s enduring presence and commitment to alliances and partnerships that protect maritime security and prosperity across the Indian Ocean and the broader Indo-Pacific.

“We appreciate the Sri Lanka Navy’s professionalism and support in making these visits smooth and efficient,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Eric Meyer. “Each visit reinforces the strength of our naval partnership, built on trust, and our shared commitment to maintaining security and stability across the Indian Ocean.”

USS Canberra is a fast, optimally manned, mission-tailored surface combatant capable of operating in near-shore and open-ocean environments. It integrates with joint, combined, crewed and unmanned systems to support forward presence, maritime security, sea control and deterrence missions around the globe.

As the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed destroyer squadron in Southeast Asia, DESRON 7 serves as the primary tactical and operational commander of assigned ships in the Southeast Asia area of operations.

U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific region.