• Military Menu                       

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

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

USS McFaul Participates in COMPUTEX

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS150109-02
Release Date: 1/9/2015 7:08:00 AM

By Ensign Ian T. Akisoglu, USS McFaul (DDG 74) Public Affairs Officer

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) departed Naval Station Norfolk Jan. 7 to participate in a scheduled Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) with the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG).

COMPTUEX is a series of training exercises designed to certify the carrier strike group for deployment. The fast-paced and highly demanding exercise tests the strike group's ability to react to various real-world scenarios as a cooperative unit.

'We need to be ready for any challenge that we might face,' said Cmdr. Michael Gunther, McFaul's commanding officer. 'This underway will allow us to focus on warfighting, participate in complex exercises and improve our battle readiness.'

COMPTUEX will afford McFaul the opportunity to participate in training scenarios with other ships and aircraft comprising the TR CSG, which consists of CSG-12, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Normandy (CG 60), USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81), USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98) and USS Farragut (DDG 99). USS Laboon (DDG 58), an independent deployer, will also participate in the COMPTUEX.

'This exercise is an outstanding opportunity for McFaul to operate with other ships, and for our watchstanders to experience the full spectrum of what we may encounter on deployment,' said Lt. Christopher Peters, McFaul's operations officer.

Throughout the exercise, McFaul will participate in and be evaluated on a series of scenario-driven and unscripted exercises, emphasizing the ship's ability to operate as part of a larger strike group as well as fight independently. Exercises will take place in multiple warfare areas, including air defense, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare, and maritime security operations. CSG-4 will conduct the exercise.

For the Sailors, the hardest part of the exercise will be dealing with the unknown, similar to actual deployment conditions.

'This is a great time for us to hone our craft and adjust to an evolving situation,' said Fire Controlman 2nd Class Justin Larson. 'I'm excited to see the last year's hard work and training on display and functioning at a high level.'