USS Dewey (DDG-105), USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108), USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), USS OÕKane (DDG-77) and USS Sterett (DDG-104) participate in a show of force transit training exercise on Nov. 4, 2016. US Navy Photo
The Carl Vinson Carrier strike group will leave the West Coast this week for a Western Pacific deployment, the service announced on Tuesday.
Starting on Wednesday, the strike group – centered on USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) – will depart for the deployment along with Carrier Air Wing 2, cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG-57), elements of Destroyer Squadron 1 and be joined by Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112) and USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108).
The strike group “will deploy with approximately 7,500 Sailors and will focus on maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. The strike group assets will conduct bilateral exercises in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region to include anti-submarine warfare, maneuvering drills, gunnery exercises and visit, board, search and seizure subject matter expert exchanges,” read the Navy’s statement.
According to a report in Navy Times, the strike group will remain under command of U.S. 3rd Fleet as an extension of U.S. Pacific Fleet commander Adm. Scott Swift’s initiative to for the traditionally West Coast command to retain operational control of assets past the International Dateline.
“U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy,” read the statement.
“Third Fleet constantly coordinates with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the entire Pacific theater of operations.”
Last year, 3rd Fleet sent out a three-ship surface action group that remained under West Coast control during operations in what was traditionally U.S. 7th Fleet’s area of responsibility.
