(San Diego, Ca.) - More than 16,000 Pacific Fleet Sailors and Marines will deploy for a six-month overseas assignment beginning Friday. Naval forces of the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Battle Group (CVBG) and USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) will depart their homeports and bases over the next month.
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), based in Bremerton, Wash, will deploy November 6, 1998. Ships based in San Diego will depart November 9 and 10 and join Carl Vinson for the transit across the Pacific Ocean, joining up with submarines based in Pearl Harbor. The USS Boxer ARG, based in San Diego, will deploy December 5, with more than 2,200 Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (13th MEU), based at Camp Pendleton, California, embarked.
The USS Carl Vinson Battle Group and USS Boxer ARG will relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln CVBG and the USS Essex ARG, which have been forward deployed for the past five months to the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf.
During its preparations for deployment the USS Carl Vinson CVBG and USS Boxer ARG participated in a Pacific Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) in the Hawaiian operating area during Rim of the Pacific 98 exercise. JTFEX tested the force's ability to respond to situations it might encounter during the upcoming six-month deployment.
USS Carl Vinson is America's third Nimitz class aircraft carrier. Displacing nearly 95,000 tons, Carl Vinson is home to more than 5,000 Sailors as well as approximately 75-80 combat and support aircraft. With the unique advantage of nuclear propulsion, the ship can steam for months at a time with little outside sustainment. From its 4.5 acre flight deck, she can quickly launch and recover the world's most modern military aircraft that operate with other elements of the U.S. Armed Forces as well as those of allied nations.
The U.S Navy continues to pursue a clear strategy of interdiction from the sea, which focuses on the littoral regions of the globe-those regions on or near a coastline. This type of warfare is perfectly suited for the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.
USS Boxer is one of the largest and most capable multi-purpose amphibious platforms ever built. It is equipped to perform command and control functions, support both aircraft and surface landing craft, and conduct large-scale amphibious assaults. In addition to three air-cushioned landing craft, USS Boxer carries AV-8 Harrier jets and attack and transport helicopters.
Demonstrating teamwork and the inherent mobility and flexibility of naval forces, the USS Carl Vinson CVBG and USS Boxer ARG can travel more than 500 miles a day while simultaneously deploying to separate geographic regions. With Tomahawk cruise missiles, tactical aircraft and combat-ready Marines, the forces will provide theater commanders with a wide range of capabilities.
--USN--
Commander 3rd Fleet's Web site address is: www.comthirdlflt.navy.mil/c3f/
Notice to media: Please use the following points of contact to cover ship departures:
USS Carl Vinson andUSS Rainier--Mary Anne Mascianica at (360) 476-7111 at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, WA
San Diego-based ships--Cmdr. Matt Brown at (619) 437-2735 at Naval Surface Forces Public Affairs
U.S. Navy aircraft squadrons--Cmdr. Dave Koontz at (619) 545-1133 at Naval Air Force Public Affairs
Hawaii-based submarines--Lt. Cmdr. Dave Werner at (808) 471-0911 at Submarine Force Public Affairs
USS Carl Vinson Carrier Battlegroup Carl Vinson Battle Group Commander Naval Station Bremerton, WA Commander, Carrier Group Three Commander, Destroyer Squadron 23 Naval Station San Diego, CA Aircraft Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Naval Station Bremerton, WA Guided Missile Cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) Naval Station, San Diego, CA Guided Missile Cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54) Naval Station, San Diego, CA Guided Missile Destroyer USS Oldendorf (DD 972) Naval Station, San Diego, CA Guided Missile Destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) Naval Station, San Diego, CA Guided Missile Frigate USS McClusky (FFG 41) Naval Station, San Diego, CA Fast Attack Submarine Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, HI USS Columbus (SSN 762) Fast Attack Submarine Submarine Base, Pearl Harbor, HI USS Pasadena (SSN 752) Fleet Oiler/Ammunition Ship Naval Station, Bremerton, WA USS Rainier (AOE 7) Commander, Carrier Air Wing 11 Naval Air Station Lemoore, CA Fighter Squadron 213 Naval Air Station (VF-213 Black Lions) Oceana, VA Helicopter Squadron 6 Naval Air Station North Island, (HS-6 Indians) San Diego, CA Sea Control Squadron 29 Naval Air Station North Island (VS-29 Dragonfires) San Diego, CA Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117 Marine Corps Air Station (VAW-117 Wallbangers) Miramar, CA Strike-Fighter Squadron 22 Naval Air Station (VFA-22 Redcocks) Lemoore, CA Strike-Fighter Squadron 94 Naval Air Station (VFA-94 Mighty Shrikes) Lemoore, CA Strike-Fighter Squadron 97 Naval Air Station (VFA-97 Warhawks) Lemoore, CA Electronic Attack Squadron 135 Naval Air Station (VAQ-135 Black Ravens) Whidbey Island, WA Fleet Logistics Support Squadron Naval Air Station North Island, San Diego, CA (VRC-30 Providers) Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Naval Air Station North Island (VQ-5 Shadows) San Diego, CA USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group Commander, Amphibious Squadron 7 Naval Station San Diego, CA Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship Naval Station San Diego, CA USS Boxer (LHD 4) Landing Platform Dock Naval Station San Diego, CA USS Cleveland (LPD 7) Landing Ship Dock Naval Station San Diego, CA USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) Assault Craft Unit 5 Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA U.S. Marine Corps 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, CA