SAN DIEGO – Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson returned to its homeport of Naval Air Station North Island, Feb. 23, following a four-month deployment to the Western Pacific.
The USS Carl Vinson, famously known for being used in the original 1986 Top Gun movie, is the same ship that The Coronado News spent a 24-hour period on in July.
Carl Vinson, flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, was joined by two other CSG-1 ships, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104). Those two ships returned to their homeport of Naval Base San Diego.
“This Carrier Strike Group and our sailors’ deployment accomplishments demonstrate our unwavering contribution to the Navy’s global engagement strategy,” said Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, CSG-1 commander. “During the past four months, we routinely flew and sailed anywhere international law allows to assure Americans, allies and partners of our commitment to bolstering regional security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”
Departed from San Diego in October
The strike group departed from San Diego on Oct. 12 to sail across the U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleet areas of operations. While in 7th Fleet, CSG-1 participated in and supported numerous bilateral and multinational maritime exercises.
The strike group conducted routine port visits to the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Philippines and Hawaii. Individual ships in CSG-1 visited Australia, Japan, Guam, Saipan and Palau.
The Carl Vinson CSG is a multiplatform team of ships and aircraft, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe from combat missions to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief response.
In total, the strike group supported U.S. relations with eight allied nations in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea. CSG-1 worked alongside ships from Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
Furthermore, CSG-1 integrated and operated seamlessly with the U.S. Joint Force conducting maritime exercises with Naval Special Warfare operators, unmanned surface vessels, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force and two multi-carrier operations with the Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan CSGs.
Notable key leader engagements
In 133 days underway, the ship’s crew conducted 10 underway replenishments, logged more than 13,000 flight hours and over 6,000 sorties, sailed more than 36,000 nautical miles, and safely received over 12 million gallons of fuel with zero mishaps.
The Vinson crew conducted 9,540 launch and recovery evolutions, 7,835 aircraft moves, 651 aircraft elevator moves, issued nearly 12 million gallons of fuel to aircraft, and transferred nearly 5,000 pallets of cargo and mail.
“I couldn’t be more proud of our Sailors. They executed with precision and discipline while strengthening our relationships with allies and partners. They were superb naval ambassadors in foreign ports,” said Capt. Matthew Thomas, Carl Vinson’s commanding officer.
Notable key leader engagements and visits aboard Carl Vinson included Republic of Korea Minister of Defense, defense chiefs from Indonesia and Malaysia, Commander of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, U.S. Ambassadors to Singapore and Indonesia, senior officers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy, among others.
Vinson’s embarked air wing deployed for the first time with the Navy’s newest Block III Super Hornets adding 4th generation plus capability to the largest joint strike fighter air wing in the Navy.
“As the U.S. Navy’s most advanced air wing, comprised of 4th and 5th generation strike fighters, advanced electronic attack, technologically-leading command and control, and versatile rotary wing capability, we deliver unprecedented lethality and survivability” said Capt. Timothy Myers, CVW-2 commander.
