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USS McFaul Completes Live-Fire Exercise

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS150111-12
Release Date: 1/11/2015 8:13:00 PM

By Ensign Ian T. Akisoglu, USS McFaul Public Affairs Officer

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) completed a live-fire exercise during composite training unit exercise (COMTUEX) with the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG), Jan. 9.

'These live-fire exercises are crucial because they force us to get into a tactical mindset, focus on warfighting and improve our battle readiness,' said Cmdr. Michael Gunther, McFaul's commanding officer.

As part of the exercise, McFaul fired 35 rounds from its MK-45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun and engaged floating training targets, called 'Killer Tomatoes,' at close range, using her MK-38 25mm machine gun, M2 .50 caliber machine guns, M240 machine guns and 20mm close-in weapons system (CIWS).

'Each station is manned by exceptionally trained Sailors,' said Ensign Trevor Coleman, McFaul's gunnery officer. 'They take a great deal of pride in what they do and are committed to making sure their weapons systems work in top condition.'

According to Coleman, Sailors assigned to gun mount watch stations are typically Gunner's Mates and Fire Controlmen, but there are other qualified rates trained and ready to provide quality assurance and assistance when firing the ship's gun systems.

Assessors with COMPTUEX, which is conducted by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 4, aim to make the training as realistic as possible by having ships maneuver at high speeds while conducting live-fire exercises, maintaining crew proficiency at countering asymmetric threats.

The cornerstone training event for CSG-4, COMTUEX consists of scenario-driven, unscripted exercises that emphasize the ship's ability to operate as part of a larger strike group as well as fight independently. Training scenarios consist of multiple warfare areas, including air defense, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare and maritime security operations.