USS John McCain conducted what the Navy is describing as a "freedom of navigation operation" near the Con Dao Islands in the South China Sea Thursday.

"The ship conducted normal operations within Vietnam's claimed territorial seas to challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access and navigational freedoms consistent with international law," said a press statement from the Navy.

Thursday's freedom of navigation operation is the second in the region this week.

On Tuesday the McCain navigated near the South China Sea's Spratly islands.

The Chinese government later claimed on state television that the Chinese People's Liberation Army expelled the McCain, but the Navy has contested that claim.

The Navy said its operations "are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows," regardless of "excessive maritime claims and regardless of current events."

Specifically, the Navy said Thursday's operation was protected under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the international framework for maritime law.

Future USS Inouye completes builder's trials after 4 days at sea
Washington DC (UPI) Dec 24, 2020 –

The future USS Daniel Inouye completed builder's trials after spending four days at sea off the coast of Maine last week, the Navy announced.

Builder's trials consist of a sequence of in-port and at-sea demonstrations allowing the Navy and the ship's builder, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, to assess whether the ship is ready for delivery.

"The successful completion of these trials is a critical step to ensuring full combat-readiness of the ship," Capt. Seth Miller, DDG 51 class program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships, said in a Navy press release. "The Navy and Industry team is dedicated to adding DDG 118's critical warfighting capabilities to the fleet and strengthening the Navy's readiness."

The vessel will return to sea early in 2021 to conduct acceptance trials, during which all systems will be inspected and evaluated before the Navy can accept delivery.

The Inouye is a Flight IIA destroyer equipped with the Aegis Baseline combat system, intended to deliver quick reaction time, high firepower and increased electronic countermeasures.

Named for the late Daniel Inouye, a long-time senator from Hawaii and a World War II veteran, the vessel was christened in June 2019.