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Enterprise Strike Group Deploys

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031002-06

Release Date: 10/2/2003 11:11:00 AM

By Chief Journalist Gerard Sekerak, Commander, 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- Ships and aircraft of the Enterprise Carrier Strike Group (CSG) began a routine deployment Oct. 2 in support of the global war on terrorism.

The strike group, which wrapped up a month-long Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) Sept. 30, completed a series of complex training events, naval surface fire support training and air-to-ground bombing in the Virginia Capes and Jacksonville, Fla., operating areas over the last several weeks. This represented the first strike group to use the comprehensive Training Resource Strategy (TRS), which better coordinates use of existing east and gulf coast range training facilities and improved simulation technology to prepare combat ready forces.

The following ranges were used for air-to-ground events during the exercise: Townsend, Ga.; Pinecastle, Fla.; Avon Park, Fla.; Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.; Piney Island, N.C.; and Dare County, N.C. The Enterprise CSG is the Navy's first strike group to exercise using these ranges as part of the comprehensive strategy. Under this plan, ships and aircraft will use existing east and gulf coast range training facilities and improved simulation technology now available to the fleet.

In implementing the TRS, the U.S. Atlantic Fleet now conducts carrier strike group training among existing training ranges and facilities throughout the Atlantic region. The Enterprise strike group has demonstrated that the Navy is enhancing its training flexibility and effectiveness through geographical and technological diversification. This is especially important as the group deploys to fight the global war on terror together.

"Enterprise and her supporting ships have proved themselves during this past month. They have overcome many hurdles, one being hurricane Isabel, but that did not stop them from completing their training and being ready to deploy," said Vice Adm. Gary Roughead, commander, 2nd Fleet/Striking Fleet Atlantic, who flew out to Enterprise Oct. 1 to asses their readiness to deploy.

COMPTUEX is an intermediate level exercise designed to forge the strike group into a cohesive, fighting team, and is a critical step in the pre-deployment training cycle.

"We live in a different world now. I think it's clear to everyone that we do," said Roughead. "We have to be out and about, we have to be in more places; we have to be able to respond with a lot more speed than we have in the past . and bring more to bear."

The Enterprise CSG, commanded by Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group 12, Rear Adm. J. G. Stavridis, consists of the following ships: the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier Enterprise with its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, the guided-missile cruisers USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) and USS Gettysburg (CG 64) homeported in Mayport, Fla., and the combat logistics ship USS Detroit (AOE 4) homeported in Earle, N.J.

Also joining the Enterprise CSG for part of its deployment is the Argentine destroyer, ARA Sarandi (D 13). The integration of this foreign navy destroyer into the strike group's training and deployment is expected to build interoperability between the U.S. and Argentine navies, and also set guidelines for future efforts with other coalition partners.