laststandonzombieisland

Twenty-six ships from 13 partner and allied nations last week steamed in formation with the most grand of Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, USS Nimitz (CVN-68) herself, in Fleet Exercise (FLEETEX) 250 under the aegis of U.S. Second Fleet. The ships assembled the week of the 16th for preplanning and briefings with the At-Sea Execution (June 22-29) for a series of training serials, a fleet formation photoex, and a final free-play battle problem.

We have covered Nimitz’s final cruise with attention and a bit of wistfulness, as she is seemingly ageless and still reflects power, prestige, and potential.

Here are some great images of the photoex, captured by Mass Communication Specialists Frankie M. Guage, Julian Jaime, and Johnathan McCune.

Participating nations in FLEETEX 250 include Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

You didn’t even have to bring your own ship to join the jointness, as USCGC Stone (WMSL 758) welcomed 10 naval ship riders from both the navies of Ghana and the Côte d’Ivoire, flown in for the event. At the same time, other vessels embarked guests from Cyprus, Cameroon, Morocco, and Senegal.

Stingray spotted

Photographed aboard Nimitz was a Boeing MQ-25A Stingray on her No. 3 Cat with two Rhinos behind the big UAV. It really gives a sense of scale to the U.S. Navy’s first operational, carrier-based unmanned aircraft, which boasts a 75-foot wingspan (31 folded) compared to the F-18E/F’s 44-foot span.

The Stingray has already been vetted for refueling F-18s, F-35s, and E-2s in operational testing and, once integrated into airwings as the KQ-25 in two squadrons (VUQ-11 and VUQ-12) with 76 airframes planned, could be a game changer for strike operations.

Plus, and nobody really talks much about this, Stingray has two underwing hardpoints, which will likely be used most of the time for extra fuel tanks, but can also be used for things like LRASM and, with a gigantic internal fuel capacity, could be a dark horse strike asset in its own right.

Greyhound’s Final Race

The last ever arrested landing and later final catapult launch of a C-2A Greyhound from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier happened last week, on Nimitz during FLEETEX250. The aircraft carried VADM Doug Perry, commander of both the Joint Force Command Norfolk and the 2nd Fleet, for a visit to CVN-68.

The aircraft involved was C-2A(R) BuNo 162159 (Modex 40), which was built during the Greyhound’s second run in the mid-1980s. Two other VRC-40 ‘Hounds (BuNos 162149 and 162157) operated from Nimitz the same day as well, but 159, flown by the Rawhide’s LT Nik “Boody” Fagen, was the last to both trap and cat, capping a 60-year run for the type.

First flown in 1964, the mighty Greyhound, capable of carrying 10,000 pounds of cargo, including an entire engine for any carrier-based aircraft in its hold, is being replaced by the new “mailman of the fleet,” the CMV-22B Osprey, which can carry 6,000 pounds of cargo, including the F414 (used in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet/EA-18G Growler).

As noted by the C-2A Greyhound Facebook page, since Osprey doesn’t trap or cat, this brings a close to another chapter in naval history:

For generations, enlisted Sailors had the unique opportunity to become Tailhookers, sharing the same catapult launches and arrested landings as Naval Aviators while serving aboard the Greyhound. With the retirement of the C-2A, that opportunity has also come to an end. It is a loss that will be deeply felt throughout the Fleet Logistics Support community, as well as by organizations such as the VAW/VRC/VUQ Foundation and the Tailhook Association.

The Last Greyhound

One final salute to steam and sea,
One final launch from the carrier’s knee.
The shuttle caught, the holdback broke,
A roar of power, a plume of smoke.
She rose where countless others flew,
Through salted skies of endless blue.
With mail and hope, with parts and men,
She always found her way again.
Not built for glory’s loud parade,
But for the promises she made—
To bridge the miles, to span the foam,
To carry pieces of home.
One final trap upon the deck,
A wire caught with practiced check.
The hook released, the engines sighed,
As history stood alongside.
The flight deck paused—a fleeting grace—
Old hands remembered every face.
The shirts of every color knew
The faithful work the Greyhound drew.
Now newer wings inherit the call,
To serve the fleet and answer all.
Yet echoes linger in the wind,
Where steel and ocean have long been friends.
For every launch must someday cease,
And every landing comes in peace.
But legends never fade away—
They sail with every carrier day.
Fair winds, faithful Greyhound.
Your final catapult was not an ending,
but the last line in a logbook
written across nearly sixty years of sea and sky.

Besides the last lap of the ‘Hound, Nimitz had another blast from the past recently when working with the Argentine Navy, and two visiting Armada S-61D-4 (SH-3A) Sea Kings of EAH2 conducted ops from her deck.

What next?

Following the exercise, many participating units – joined by the historic tall ships – will sail to New York City to take part in the seventh International Naval Review 250 from July 3-8.

Nimitz will be in the Big Apple as well.

“Adding USS Nimitz to the International Naval Review 250 roster brings a legendary piece of American naval history and maritime dominance directly to the heart of this celebration,” said Vice Adm. Doug Perry, commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet. “For five decades, the Sailors aboard Nimitz have stood the watch, defending freedom and ensuring global maritime security. Having this iconic warship anchor in New York Harbor alongside our international partners will be a breathtaking tribute to our nation’s 250th anniversary and a powerful demonstration of American resolve.”

Sometime after that, Nimitz arrives in Norfolk. Cruising over. One last party to schedule.