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By Ensign Trey Widmier, USS Sampson Public Affairs; Ensign Mollie Clark, USS Gridley Public Affairs; Gunner’s Mate Second Class Austin Canterbury USS Fitzgerald Public Affairs and Lt. j.g. Brinn Hefron, USS Abraham Lincoln Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO – Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3, including Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21 and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) completed Sustainment Exercise (SUSTEX) December 11. SUSTEX was a multi-ship, multi-aircraft exercise to maintain its deployment readiness and proficiency in global maritime operations.
“Those high-end warfighting skills, this strike groups’ ability to fight, our ability to operate this aircraft carrier anywhere around the world…that is what we have been sustaining,” said Rear Adm. Kevin Lenox, commander, CSG 3.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Sampson (DDG 102), USS Gridley, (DDG 101), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS Momsen (DDG 92), and Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Kansas City (LCS 22) alongside Abraham Lincoln and embarked Carrier Air Wing 9 all participated in the two week long exercise.
“SUSTEX afforded us the opportunity to remain proficient through integrated strike group operations. As a surge ready ship, Gridley once again proved she is ready to respond when needed,” said Cmdr. Katie Whitman, commanding officer, Gridley.
This exercise involved a multitude of integrated training exercises designed to test and train the carrier strike group’s ability to work together as a cohesive team. Events included each warfare area as well as live-fire gunnery exercises, Tomahawk Land Attack Missile exercises, surface warfare exercises, and maneuvering exercises for surface ships revolving around High Value Unit (HVU) assets.
“This comprehensive integrated exercise is designed to maintain our deployment readiness, and leverages the combined deployed experiences of our Sailors to further strengthen warfighting proficiency and enhance our capability to conduct sustained at-sea operations,” said Cmdr. David Catterall, commanding officer, Fitzgerald.
In addition to multi-ship exercises, Abraham Lincoln executed flight operations with CVW 9’s carrier-based aircraft. Since returning from an eight-month deployment in August, SUSTEX provides the embarked aircraft of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group the opportunity to maintain the proficiency required for conducting routine flight operations onboard an aircraft carrier.
“Deployment provided readiness-strengthening opportunities for our Sailors. This period at sea allows us to not only increase warfighting effectiveness across our watch teams, but strengthens our ability to protect our standard in sustaining excellence while keeping complacency at bay,” said Cmdr. Mike Bencini, commanding officer, Sampson.
The squadrons that make up Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW) 9 are fighter attack squadrons (VFA) 41, VFA 151 and VFA 14; VMFA 314; VRM 30; electronic attack squadron (VAQ) 133; airborne early warning squadron (VAW) 117; helicopter sea combat squadron (HSC) 14; and helicopter maritime strike squadron (HSM) 71.
Carrier Strike Group 3 provides a combat-ready force to protect and defend the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its regional allies and partners. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group consists of more than 6,000 Sailors and Marines, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe.
An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.
| Date Taken: | 12.12.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2022 00:15 |
| Story ID: | 435037 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, US |
| Web Views: | 383 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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