In what was a demonstration of capabilities, the aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), and USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) conducted joint operations in the Atlantic Ocean. The meeting of the three ships took place as part of capability and skill development, fuel certification, and ammunition loading, which are basic phases of the fleet’s optimized response plan.
According to the U.S. Navy, the three carriers also operated in the Atlantic to facilitate the transfer of ammunition between the three ships and the USNS William McLean (T-AKE 12), a Lewis and Clark-class logistics ship.
It is worth noting that the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is currently conducting a Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX), the most complex multidomain training event of the Joint Force. “…The NATO integrated training event within this COMPTUEX program is the tenth of its kind offered by CSG-4 for the CSGs and the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) teams preparing to deploy since 2020…”
Vice Admiral Doug Perry commented on COMPTUEX, saying, “…It was an exceptional opportunity to command and control allied forces, assess the strengths and weaknesses of our personnel as a maritime staff, and continuously improve our effectiveness as a team… The level of teamwork, experience, and knowledge required to be a world-class team demands constant training and evaluation. I could not be more proud of our team, the Truman Carrier Strike Group, the Navy Warfare Development Command, and Carrier Strike Group 4, who worked together in this valuable training for the force…”.
The units that participated in the NATO scenario within COMPTUEX included the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), the Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Carrier Air Wing 1, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), and USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), all part of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28.
Meanwhile, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is returning to sea activity after completing its deployment in the Central Command area of operations, providing vital support to operations in the Red Sea region. The U.S. Navy reported that during this deployment, the IKE completed over 13,800 sorties by aircraft from its Carrier Air Wing, accumulating more than 31,400 flight hours in operations to neutralize unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) used by the Houthis to attack merchant ships and disrupt critical maritime routes.
The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group returned to Norfolk Naval Base on July 14 after a 9-month deployment within the areas of operation of the Fifth and Sixth Fleets. Its presence in the Middle East was in response to attacks against Israel in October 2023, which led to significant tensions in the region.
Cover image: US Navy – Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Maxwell Orlosky
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