• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Theodore Roosevelt CSG Deploys

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050901-21
Release Date: 9/1/2005 4:59:00 PM

By Journalist 1st Class (SW) Stefanie Holzeisen-Mullen, Fleet Public Affairs Center Norfolk

NAVAL STATION NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG), with more than 7,500 Sailors, departed Naval Station Norfolk Sept. 1, in support of the global war on terrorism.

Commanded by Rear Adm. James A. Winnefeld Jr., commander, Carrier Strike Group 2, the TRCSG includes the Norfolk-based aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), with its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8; the Norfolk-based guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56); the Norfolk-based guided-missile destroyers USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75); the Spanish frigate SPS Alvaro de Bazan (F101); and the combat logistics ships USNS Mount Baker (T-AE 34) from Naval Weapons Station Earle, N.J., and USNS Kanawha (T-AO 196) from Norfolk.

Winnefeld expressed confidence that the strike group is up to the task.

“This is going to be a fairly standard deployment,” said Winnefeld. “We’re going to take this precious national asset (TR) across the planet and we’re going to try to protect the vital interests of this country by doing everything we can to support the global war on terrorism.”

The ships are deploying under the Navy's Fleet Response Plan (FRP). FRP, by design, gives operational commanders the flexibility to use assets in innovative ways.

The ship’s navigator, Cmdr. Dave Taylor, affirmed the notion that “The Big Stick” is mission-ready.

“The TR excelled in all phases of training with [Carrier] Air Wing 8 on board," said Taylor. "Along with the ship’s company, we will experience great success.”

Looking to capitalize on the Navy’s FRP and to shorten the carrier landing qualification (CQ) time for their embarked air wing, TR craned aboard six aircraft prior to departure. This experiment, according to Commander U.S. 2nd Fleet, aims to save the fleet time and money and qualify the embarked aviators faster.

In the spirit of multinational training and interoperability, the Spanish frigate SPS Alvaro de Bazan will deploy as part of the TRCSG.

In July 2003, Alvaro De Bazan became the first European naval ship equipped with the Aegis Weapons System to successfully conduct a Combined Combat System Ship Qualifications Trials (CSSQT) with U.S. Naval forces off the coast of Wallops Island, Va. Working in close concert with the Navy since then, Alvaro de Bazan continues to refine multinational maritime interoperability and coordination.

This deployment also marks the end of an era as the Navy’s last two remaining F-14 Tomcat squadrons, the “Tomcatters” of Fighter Squadron (VF) 31 and the “Black Lions of VF-213 – both from Naval Air Station Oceana - make their final voyage before they are retired later this year.