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    CVW 7 Displays Naval Aviation Capabilities at the 2019 Dubai Air Show

    Naval aviation provides U.S. leaders with the unique ability to quickly support missions from nearly anywhere in the world. That ability was on full display as fixed wing aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW 7) launched from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) to the flight line at the 2019 Dubai Air Show (DAS).
    The DAS, which was held Nov. 17-21, is the largest aviation and air industry exhibition in the Middle East. The biennial air show featured 165 aircraft and over 1,300 exhibits from all around the world. More than 86,000 people visited during the five-day event. Those visitors had the opportunity to closely view the aircraft and speak with the pilots from CVW 7.
    “This air show presented us with a great opportunity to enhance our relationships with the UAE and our other regional partners,” said Capt. William Reed, commander of CVW 7. “The ability to interact, communicate and share information with our allies while we operate in their backyard really underscores the strategic importance to the event.”
    The four aircraft on display included an E-2D Hawkeye from the Bluetails of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, an EA-18G Growler from the Patriots of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, and ‘E’ and ‘F’ variants of F/A-18 Super Hornets from the “Fists of the Fleet” of VFA-25 and the Jolly Rogers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103.
    “To come out here with our aircraft and park them in a Middle East country and shake hands, bring big smiles to faces and show the positivity of the U.S. Navy, I think sends a big message to everyone out here and the world,” said Lt. Cmdr. John O’Neill of VAW-121 and the officer in charge for the CVW 7 DAS detachment.
    The DOD’s participation in the DAS dates back to 2003. This year’s event provided a venue to strengthen military-to-military relationships with regional partners and also demonstrated the flexibility of the U.S. military. Assets from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps were on hand along with the Navy, showcasing joint operability across different services and multiple platforms on a world-wide stage.
    “It was a great opportunity for us to meet the crews of some of the Air Force assets in theater,” said Canadian Air Force Capt. Christopher Swartz, a pilot currently serving with the “Pukin’ Dogs” of VFA-143. “We met a couple of the pilots from the A-10 community we flew with in Afghanistan. Being able to meet those guys in person and talk a little about what they’re doing and what their jet can do helps us understand what capabilities we each bring to the fight. It was also great getting to meet and talk with the Emirates and regional partners and learn about the aircraft they operate.”
    An event this large often requires months of planning, but due to operational commitments for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABESG), CVW 7 was asked to put together a plan and execute it in less than two weeks. The ABESG, with Abraham Lincoln as its flagship and CVW 7 as its embarked air wing, has been conducting deterrence operations to maintain security and stability in the region since May.
    “It was about six to eight months of planning for most of the folks out here, but we were able to do it in ten days,” said O’Neill. “A true testament to what the U.S. Navy is able to do – the interaction with the air wing, the squadrons, the carrier – everyone did their part to make sure we got here on time and in style as we brought in multiple aircraft at once. To be a part of this and assigned as the officer in charge was very humbling for me.”
    Though it was the power and agility of aviation on display, aircrew and maintainers from various squadrons also drew crowds as they ensured the Hawkeye, Growler and Super Hornets were ready for flight. The Rawhides of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 transported the maintainers, as well as their tools and equipment necessary for the job.
    “Our CVW 7 maintenance team from each squadron of aircraft represented ensured the best possible display of American air superiority,” said Master Chief Aircraft Maintenanceman Jose Zayas, the maintenance master chief for VFA-143 and the maintenance lead for the DAS. “The maintenance footprint gave a real-time demonstration of the daily turnaround process while working hand-in-hand with our Air Force counterparts. We launched all aircraft back to Abraham Lincoln without a hitch.”
    With the DAS behind them, the pilots, crews and aircraft of CVW 7 have returned to Abraham Lincoln, where they will continue to contribute to maritime security and stability in the region. Operating in the Arabian Gulf, where it most recently conducted air operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the strike group is positioned to demonstrate the U.S. and its regional partners’ commitment to the free flow of commerce, regional stability and freedom of navigation.
    With Abraham Lincoln as the flagship, deployed strike group assets include staffs, ships and aircraft of Carrier Strike Group 12 (CSG 12), Destroyer Squadron 2 (DESRON 2), USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) and CVW 7.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 11.24.2019
    Date Posted: 11.25.2019 16:37
    Story ID: 353226
    Location: US

    Web Views: 172
    Downloads: 0

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