THE TENSION: Combat Camera: On Board USS Lake Erie; Feb. 20, 2008

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 16, 2008) Fire Controlman 2nd Class John Whitby, from San Leandro, Calif., operates the radar system control in the combat information center during a ballistic missile defense drill aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). Lake Erie is operating off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight (Released)

FILE PHOTO - PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (Dec. 7, 2007) Guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) Sailors man the rails and render honors to USS Arizona Memorial and Pearl Harbor survivors as part of a pass-in-review during a joint U.S. Navy/National Park Service ceremony commemorating the 66th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. More than 2,500 people joined Sailors, Pearl Harbor survivors and their families and friends onboard Naval Station Pearl Harbor for the annual observance. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Elisia V. Gonzales (Released)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 16, 2008) Lt. Cmdr. Andrew Bates operates the radar system control in the combat information center during a ballistic missile defense drill aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). Lake Erie is operating off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight (Released)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb.17, 2008) Damage Controlman 3rd Class Duane Cunningham and Damage Controlman Fireman Jose Cortez prepare to back out of a space during a damage control drill aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG70). Lake Erie is operating off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight (Released)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 17, 2008) Gunner's Mate 1st Class Kacy Rupp, left, and Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Andrew Putman remove a MK46 torpedo from the MK32/MOD14 service vessel torpedo tube during a torpedo load and reload exercise aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). Lake Erie is operating off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight (Released)

PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 15, 2007) Gunner's Mate 2nd Class Joshua Shirey, a native of Ridgway, Penn., simulates cleaning a fuel spill during a damage control drill in the torpedo magazine aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). Lake Erie is currently conducting operations off the coast of Hawaii. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Hight (Released)

FILE PHOTO - KAUAI, Hawaii - A threat representative target is launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) to be intercepted as part of a Missile Defense Agency test of the sea-based capability under development. This was part of a multiple simultaneous engagement involving two ballistic missile targets that were intercepted about 250 miles from Kauai and approximately 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean. The Standard Missile-3 was one of two interceptors launched from Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) that collided with two ballistic missile targets launched from the Pacific Missile Range Test Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, within minutes of one another. U.S. Navy photo (RELEASED)

FILE PHOTO - PACIFIC OCEAN - A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) is launched from Pearl Harbor-based guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) to intercept a threat representative target as part of a Missile Defense Agency test of the sea-based capability under development. This was part of a multiple simultaneous engagement involving two ballistic missile targets that were intercepted about 250 miles from Kauai and approximately 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean. The SM-3 was one of two interceptors launched from the ship that collided with two ballistic missile targets launched from the Pacific Missile Range Test Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, within minutes of one another. U.S. Navy photo (RELEASED)