Keywords: US Navy 041112-N-6920A-001 Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Scott Kuczynski of Pittsburgh, Pa., fires a twin .50-caliber machine gun aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan (LHA 2) at the decommissioned research ship Gosport du.jpg en Atlantic Ocean Nov 12 2004 Chief Aviation Ordnanceman Scott Kuczynski of Pittsburgh Pa fires a twin 50-caliber machine gun aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Saipan LHA 2 at the decommissioned research ship Gosport during a Sink Exercise conducted 300 miles off the East Coast of the United States Ships from the Saipan Expeditionary Strike Group several units of NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic STANAVFORLANT and a variety of aircraft successfully completed a live-fire exercise sinking the decommissioned destroyer Hayler and research vessel Gosport Nov 12-14 All decommissioned ships receive a thorough inspection by the EPA before sinking and will now act as an artificial reef for deep-sea marine life The sinking of these ships provides unique weapons training opportunities U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Latrice Ames RELEASED 2004-11-12 041112-N-6920A-001 Navy http //www navy mil/view_image asp id 18893 U S Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Latrice Ames PD-USGov-Military-Navy Browning M2 of the US Navy Aviation Ordnanceman Aboard USS Saipan LHA-2 Shooting Sinking exercises |