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Kitty Hawk Strike Group 05 Underway
CVA / CV-63 Kitty Hawk
"HAWK" / "The Battle Cat"

Having recently completed the certifications and qualifications necessary for putting to sea, USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) departed Yokosuka, Japan, Feb. 10, joined by Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, for a scheduled winter underway period. During the underway period, Kitty Hawk Sailors will perform drills such as general quarters, and simulate responding to various military situations in order to keep them ever prepared and mission ready. In addition to ship-wide drills, department specific drills will be held to increase the efficiency and knowledge of every Sailor and work center aboard the ship. Drills of one sort or another are held in virtually every department, from navigators and helmsmen on the bridge, to engineers working in machinery rooms deep within the ship's hull.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 ended a four-day port visit to Hong Kong March 1. USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 and elements of the carrier's strike group arrived in Busan, Republic of Korea, March 14 for a port visit on the anniversary of Kitty Hawk's previous visit in March 2004. Accompanying the aircraft carrier on this visit to Busan is the guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63). Six ships from Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15 are also scheduled to visit the ports of Chinhae and Pyongtaek. The DESRON ships include the cruiser USS Vincennes (CG 49); destroyers USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and USS Cushing (DDD 985); and frigates USS Gary (FFG 51) and USS Vandegrift (FFG 48).

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 returned to Japan March 28 following an eventful seven-week underway period in the western Pacific Ocean, Sea of Japan, and the East and South China Seas. The 46 days at sea included visits to Hong Kong and the Republic of Korea, and some critical training for the Navy's only permanently forward-deployed aircraft carrier and its accompanying air wing. Among the highlights were the breaking-in of a new executive officer (XO), a joint and combined exercise with Republic of Korea and U.S. forces, and continued training for ship and air wing personnel. Operationally, the winter underway period was just as successful for maintaining the carrier strike group's readiness. Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 performed many operational and training exercises. One of the first of these was the completion of the air wing's carrier landing qualifications to provide the pilots with refresher training to ensure currency in their flight qualifications.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), after completing almost two months of scheduled maintenance and three days of at sea training, departed its forward-deployed operating port of Yokosuka, Japan, May 23, for its summer underway period, along with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5. With a combined crew of approximately 5,300 Sailors from Kitty Hawk and CVW-5, the Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier team will spend the underway period conducting carrier qualifications, strike training, drills and exercises, operating in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

The U.S. Navy's oldest active warship, the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) along with its embarked air wing and two escort ships, arrived in Sydney, Australia, July 3 for a brief port visit that included a celebration of the United States' 229th Independence Day anniversary July 4. Since June 12, the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group had been participating in Exercise Talisman Saber 2005, a joint exercise between U.S. and Australian defense forces. Talisman Saber included a combined force of about 6,000 Australian and 11,000 U.S. personnel from all branches of the armed services. Australian and U.S. forces operated in Central and Northern Queensland, while maritime forces conducted exercises off the coast of Queensland in the Coral Sea.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) returned to its forward-deployed operating port of Yokosuka, Japan, Aug. 20, bringing an end to a three-month summer underway period which saw the ship and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 encounter many changes and challenges. Chief among these challenges were a trio of exercises Kitty Hawk and CVW-5 participated in, along with the rest of the Kitty Hawk Carrier Strike Group and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15. These were Talisman Saber 2005, the third annual Orange Crush and Joint Air and Sea Exercise (JASEX) 2005.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) returned to sea Oct. 24, commencing its fall underway period. This brought an end to Kitty Hawk's two-month-long inport period, which saw the ship's crew experience several changes and challenges, including an extensive maintenance schedule.

The USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Carrier Strike Group began the main event of its fall underway period Nov. 9, when it joined with other components of the U.S. Navy and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in support of Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX) 2005. During ANNUALEX, which ran until Nov. 18, a total of 61 naval vessels will see action, including two U.S. submarines, 10 U.S. Navy ships and 49 JMSDF ships. To help kick off the process, a group of Japanese Sailors embarked on Kitty Hawk Nov. 7 to train with Kitty Hawk's crew in order to prepare for the exercise.

USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), along with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, USS Stethem (DDG 63) and USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), pulled into Hong Kong harbor Nov. 24, commencing a port visit in which Sailors hoped to take advantage of Hong Kong's world-class shopping and cultural attractions.

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Page last modified: 05-07-2011 01:43:23 ZULU