laststandonzombieisland

The oldest operational aircraft carrier in the world, USS Nimitz (CVN 68), along with her the embarked Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17), escorting tin can USS Gridley (DDG 101), and the MSC-manned replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), left Bremerton as CSG-11 on the morning of 7 March, bound for Norfolk where the flattop will begin her long decommissioning evolution which is set for March 2027.

Nimitz’s past three months have been busy with just about every maritime force in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of the 11th iteration of Operation South Seas, one of the few times that 4th Fleet has had a CVSG on the payroll for more than a couple of weeks.

Nimitz is set to call at Kingston for the next five days, leaving on 5 June for Norfolk.

Traveling light

For the record, Nimitz’s final carrier wing, CVW-17, includes the MH-60R/S Sea Hawks of Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 73 “Battlecats” and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 6 “Indians,” a C-2A Greyhound det of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, two squadrons of F -18E/F Super Hornets (Fighting Redcocks of VFA-22 and the Kestrels of VFA-137), and the EA-18G Growlers of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 139 “Cougars.”

She is traveling light and is missing her typical third and fourth Rhino squadrons (VFA-94 and VFA-146) as well as her E-2C Hawkeye AEW det of VAW-121 and CV-22 det of VRM-30, all left behind in California at NAS Lemoore.

What about Cuba?

However, if the Cuban question arises, and, if tasked, even just her two squadrons of Rhinos, with the road cleared by the Growlers, would be more than a match for the Defensa Anti-Aérea y Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria’s 50~ MiG-29UB/A, MiG-23ML/UB, and MiG-21MF/bis fighters, most of which are considered non-operational, while the country’s air defense is via 1970s-era S-125M/M1 Pechora/SA-3 Goa SAMs.

What could prove more of a pucker factor for CVSG-11 is Cuba’s rumored 300 Iranian and Russian drones.   

Plus, the 24th MEU, operating under the designation of Littoral Combat Force-24, has just “officially assumed the mission as the premier tactical force-in-readiness within the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility,” in support of Operation Southern Spear, based out of Rosie Roads. While without a big-deck LHD/A to call home, they do have the 25,000-ton USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD-28) at their disposal.

Plus, the extra room on the Nimitz flight deck could be used to help airmail the 24th MEU to GTMO if needed. It’s been done before. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) in 1993 worked up with (most) of her airwing and an SPMAGTF consisting of a Marine rifle company, a command staff, and various detachments, including an 18-man reconnaissance platoon; and a heavy helicopter squadron with a component from a utility and at­tack helicopter squadron, totaling 538 Marines, including 227 aviation personnel.

Not wishing things would turn hot in the Caribbean.

Just saying.

Probably just gunboat diplomacy, which is really what every MEU and CVSG is all about, anyway, right?

I mean, they even put Cuba on the patch.