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CVW-17 Completes Training at Pinecastle

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060414-08
Release Date: 4/14/2006 3:05:00 AM

By Chief Journalist (SW/AW/IUSS) Henry W. Rice, USS George Washington Public Affairs

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, At Sea (NNS) -- Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, embarked on USS George Washington (CVN 73), completed three days of training and exercises at the Navy’s Pinecastle Bombing Range in Florida April 10.

The air wing utilized the Pinecastle Range to conduct unit-level training, air wing strikes, and combat search and rescue training. CVW-17 also utilized the Avon Park Range to conduct close air support training with the 4th Air/Naval Gunfire Liaison Company Marine unit (4th ANGLICO). The purpose of the training was to give the air crews an opportunity to practice dropping live ordnance at the range.

“Pinecastle is one of the few ranges on the east coast that allows aircraft to drop live ordnance,” said Lt. Derek Fix from CVW-17's operations office. “This is a training opportunity that is not readily available when the air wing is back home in Oceana.”

All of the embarked squadrons participated in the exercises, including Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11 “Red Rippers;” VFA-81 “Sun Liners;” Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121 “Bluetails;” Sea Control Squadron (VS) 22 “Checkmates;” and Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron (HS) 7 “Dusty Dogs.”

“The training provided CVW-17 the opportunity to work and train together as an air wing and carrier team,” said Fix. “But it also allowed us to get valuable integration training with other joint assets.”

The Florida Air National Guard, flying F-15C Eagles, participated in both an air wing strike as well as air combat training with VFA-11 and VFA-81.

“The Florida Air National Guard provided opposition support for air wing strikes into Pinecastle, which afforded some of the air wing assets a great opportunity to train against dissimilar aircraft,” said Lt. Cmdr. Rodney Behrend, operations officer for VFA-11.

VS-22 participated in close air support training with the 4th ANGLICO Marine Unit at Avon Park. VAW-121 provided command and control for air wing strikes, as well as coordinated the busy commercial air traffic patterns with Miami center and Fleet Area Control & Surveillance Facility Jacksonville so the air wing assets could safely fly into Pinecastle and back to GW. HS-7 participated in a Combat Search and Rescue exercise, picking up a survivor in the Pinecastle range.

Overall, CVW-17 found the training exercises to be valuable and to help keep the air crews ready to deploy with a high state of readiness.

“Any training that involves being able to conduct missions utilizing ranges where live ordnance can be expended is very valuable,” said Behrend. “Additional training value is added when we have the opportunity to integrate air wing assets into large force exercises that mirror tactics the air wing would employ during real-world operations.”

GW provided support via its air department launching and recovering the aircraft and weapons department assembling the ordnance. The entire crew received some important operational training during the exercise.

“This was my first time building real bombs,” said Airman Apprentice Brittney Britt of GW’s weapons department. “I learned a lot, and this is the first time in almost two years that GW has been making real munitions. We have been training and passing our inspections, so it was good to finally put our training to the test.”

The bombing range, in the Ocala National Forest, is centrally located, which provides air crews with a realistic striking range from both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico operating areas. This flexibility enhances the carrier strike group's ability to complete all its training prior to deploying into harm's way.

The Navy has used nearly 6,000 acres of the 382,000-acre forest for target practice for 50 years under a special use permit from the U.S. Forestry Service.

The exercises and training began April 8 following carrier qualifications for all CVW-17 pilots, certifying them to land on GW’s flight deck day and night.

The GW/CVW-17 team is currently heading south to participate in “Partnership of the Americas,” a U.S. Southern Command-sponsored training and readiness deployment designed to strengthen regional partnerships and improve multinational interoperability.