POTD: M4 Drills on the Flight Deck - USS Fort Lauderdale

Summary

A U.S. Navy sailor aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28) conducted live-fire M4 carbine drills on the ship's flight deck in February 2026 while underway in the Caribbean Sea. The USS Fort Lauderdale has been forward deployed since August 2025 as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group under U.S. Southern Command's Operation Southern Spear, focusing on counter-narcotics and maritime security.