USS Theodore Roosevelt Celebrates 107 Years Of Naval Aviation On Tiger Cruise

U.S. Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Alex Corona, stationed aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, offers the below piece:

USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT, Pacific Ocean, May 7, 2018 — Sailors, Marines and their guests marked the importance of naval aviation here May 3, remembering more than 107 years of innovation and achievement.

The ship is on its way to its home port at Naval Air Station North Island, California, after a seven-month deployment. More than 600 family members and friends embarked aboard the Theodore Roosevelt for a "Tiger Cruise" during a port call to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, April 27-May 1.

Navy Capt. Carlos Sardiello, the commander of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and Navy Capt. Gus Ford, the commander of Carrier Air Wing 17, spoke of how naval aviation relates to navies, both past and present, during the celebration hosted by the ship's Naval Heritage Committee in the hangar bay.

"Aircraft carriers have come a long way," Sardiello said. "The USS Pennsylvania started with a wooden deck with sandbags for arresting gear. Here we are a little over a century later with a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier."

The captain emphasized the necessity of today's aircraft and aircraft carriers in operations around the world.

"The importance of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to our nation's defense lies in the fact that it is the only platform that can deliver air power from the sea in a sustainable fashion," he said.

Family Support

It’s important for the Navy that embarked families and guests of the sailors and Marines understand life aboard an aircraft carrier, Ford said.

"It's really hard to understand what it's like to be in the Navy unless you come out here and experience it for yourself," he said. "When the family members and friends go home they will talk about this experience, and what we have accomplished on this deployment will add to the legacy of the Navy."

"Our Navy and the aviation aspect, together, is an essential part of our military," Ford said. "We keep the waters open for trade, have a strong projection of power throughout the world, and protect the interests of countries throughout the world."

CVW-17 hosted an airpower demonstration for the ship’s guests, which displayed skills such as low-altitude passes and turns, high-speed fly-bys, combat maneuvers, and the detonation of live ordnance. The demonstration ended with 15 aircraft flying in formation over the flight deck.

Sailors, Marines and their guests watched as F/A-18F and F/A-18E Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, F/A-18C Hornets, MH-60S and MH-60R Sea Hawks and an E-2C Hawkeye performed in the skies above the carrier.

Carrier Air Wing 17

While embarked aboard Theodore Roosevelt, CVW-17 flew 1,164 combat sorties in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedom's Sentinel. Additionally, CVW-17 flew more than 8,319 hours and operated approximately 70 aircraft during its 2017-2018 deployment.

The legacy of Navy aviation continues to grow, said Tiger Cruise attendee Jim Kooyer, a former petty officer who served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock.

"The same can be said about today's Navy as the Navy back during the Vietnam War," he said. "An immediate line of defense and the ability to be any place at any time is critical to accomplish any mission. This carrier, other naval vessels and the air wing all make that possible."

Naval aviation has played an integral part in supporting America's maritime strategy, from the wooden decks of the USS Pennsylvania to the unforgiving non-skid surface aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt.

CVW-17 is comprised of Lemoore, California-based Strike Fighter Squadron 22, Strike Fighter Squadron 94 and Strike Fighter Squadron 113; Beaufort, South Carolina-based Marine Strike Fighter Attack Squadron 312; Whidbey Island, Washington-based Electronic Attack Squadron 139; Point Mugu, California-based Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 116; San Diego-based Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6; and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73.

Theodore Roosevelt left its home port of San Diego, Oct. 6, 2017, for a regularly-scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility.

Note: In the above U.S. Navy photo sailors, Marines and guests watch as aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing 17 fly in formation alongside the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, at sea in the Pacific Ocean, on May 2, 2018. The photo was taken by Seaman Michael A. Colemanberry 

U.S. Navy: Three-Carrier Strike Force Exercise to Commence in Western Pacific

The U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet Public Affairs Office offered the below information:

YOKOSUKA (NNS) -- The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) strike groups will commence a three-carrier strike force exercise in the Western Pacific, Nov. 11-14.

Units assigned to the strike force will conduct coordinated operations in international waters in order to demonstrate the U.S. Navy's unique capability to operate multiple carrier strike groups as a coordinated strike force effort.

"It is a rare opportunity to train with two aircraft carriers together, and even rarer to be able to train with three," said U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander, Adm. Scott Swift. "Multiple carrier strike force operations are very complex, and this exercise in the Western Pacific is a strong testament to the U.S. Pacific Fleet's unique ability and ironclad commitment to the continued security and stability of the region."

While at sea, the strike force plans to conduct air defense drills, sea surveillance, replenishments at sea, defensive air combat training, close-in coordinated maneuvers and other training. This is the first time that three carrier strike groups have operated together in the Western Pacific since exercises Valiant Shield 2006 and 2007 off the coast of Guam. Both exercises focused on the ability to rapidly bring together forces from three strike groups in response to any regional situation. Ronald Reagan took part in VS 2006 and Nimitz took part in VS 2007. More recently, U.S. Navy aircraft carriers have conducted dual carrier strike group operations in the Western Pacific including in the South China Sea, East China Sea and Philippine Sea. These opportunities typically occur when strike groups deployed to the 7th Fleet area of operations from the West Coast of the United States are joined with the forward deployed carrier strike group from Japan.

For more than 70 years, the U.S. Pacific Fleet has been a persistent and stabilizing presence conducting operations throughout the region. The fleet is just as committed to maintaining those security commitments for the next 70 years.

Note: In the above U.S. Navy photo the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) Carrier Strike Groups transit in formation during a joint photo exercise (PHOTOEX) during exercise Valiant Shield 2007. 

The aerial formation consists of aircraft from the carrier strike groups as well as Air Force aircraft. The strike groups are participating in Valiant Shield 2007, the largest joint exercise in the Pacific this year. Held in the Guam operating area, the exercise includes 30 ships, more than 280 aircraft and more than 20,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.

You can click on the photo to enlarge. 

Moon Sets Behind Aircraft Carrier

In the above U.S. Navy photo the brightest moon in almost 60 years sets behind the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) on November 14, 2016 in Coronado, California.

The photo was taken by Petty Officer 2nd Class Abe McNatt.

Note: You can click on the photo to enlarge.