Tag Archives: VFA-22

Uncle Chester makes final (scheduled) overseas portcall

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Nimitz off Jamaica with local dignitaries aboard, a VF-137 F-18E blisters by in the background (U.S. Navy photo)

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.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley (DDG 101) pulls alongside Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a sea power demo in the Atlantic Ocean, May 23, 2026. Gridley is deployed with Nimitz Carrier Strike Group as part of Southern Seas 2026, which seeks to enhance capability, improve interoperability, and strengthen maritime partnerships with countries throughout the region through joint, multinational, and interagency exchanges and cooperation. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Frankie M. Guage)

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.

The official logo for Southern Seas 2026. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) will deploy to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility as part of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2026 deployment. Southern Seas aims to enhance regional maritime partnerships, interoperability, and security throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South America. (U.S. Navy graphic illustration by Ensign Paul Archer)

Bookends, Flattops

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Two very interesting things have occurred in the past few weeks when it comes to the Navy’s capital ships.

First, USS Nimitz (CVN 68), the oldest-serving U.S. commissioned aircraft carrier in the world, successfully completed its 350,000th arrested aircraft landing while sailing in the South China Sea, a milestone nearly 48 years in the making.

Capt. Craig Sicola, commanding officer of Nimitz, and Cmdr. Luke Edwards, commanding officer of the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22, piloted the landing in a F/A-18F Super Hornet from VFA 22 on the morning of April 22nd. 230422-N-HK462-1291 Photo By: Hannah Kantner

Nimitz is the first active U.S. Navy carrier in the Fleet to reach this milestone– even surpassing the numbers seen by Enterprise, the Forrestal, JFK, Midway, et. al. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) has the next highest total of arrested landings at 326,600.

The Navy is starting long-lead planning to defuel and dispose of Nimitz (CVN-68), with the carrier scheduled to leave service in 2026 after 51 years in the fleet.

And in a follow-up to that, the first of the new Ford-class supercarriers, CVN-78, departed Naval Station Norfolk for her first real deployment, on 2 May.

The GRFCSG consists of USS Gerald R. Ford, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 12, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 2, Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS McFaul (DDG 74), and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116).

Iconic Underway Shots

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The Navy’s PAO network has really done a good job of putting out great images in the past week. Check these out, taken in three different parts of the world across just three days.

From the ancient waters of the Adriatic:

220606-N-AO868-1147 ADRIATIC SEA (June 6, 2022) Ensign Stephen Hess uses a telescopic alidade in the pilot house of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), as it transits behind the Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in the Adriatic Sea, June 6, 2022. Truman is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by the U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied, and Partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Conner Foy/Released)

220606-N-AO868-1167 ADRIATIC SEA (June 6, 2022) The Nimitz class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) transits the Adriatic Sea on June 6, 2022. Truman is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by the U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied, and Partner interests. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Conner Foy/Released)

To the Atlantic

220605-N-YD731-1271 ATLANTIC OCEAN (June 5, 2022) Sailors assigned to the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55) prepare to shoot line during a replenishment-at-sea with the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman (T-AO 195), June 5, 2022. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is underway completing a certification exercise to increase the U.S. and allied interoperability and warfighting capability before a future deployment. The George H.W. Bush CSG is an integrated combat weapons system that delivers superior combat capability to deter, and if necessary, defeat America’s adversaries in support of national security. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Novalee Manzella)

USS Leyte Gulf CG-55 conducts a replenishment-at-sea with USNS Leroy Grumman (TAO-195), on June 5, 2022. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Novalee Manzella)

USS Leyte Gulf CG-55 conducts a replenishment-at-sea with USNS Leroy Grumman (TAO-195), on June 5 2022. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Novalee Manzella)

And to the Pacific

PACIFIC OCEAN (June 7, 2022) An F/A-18F assigned to the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 makes an arrested gear landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorenzo Fekieta-Martinez)

PACIFIC OCEAN (June 7, 2022) An aircraft makes an arrested gear landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is underway in the U.S. 3rd fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Lorenzo Fekieta-Martinez)

Between stuff like this, and Maverick, the recruiters just have to sit back and show where to sign.

Of course, a lot of the platforms shown are high-mileage, with Nimitz– the oldest operational aircraft carrier in the world– laid down in 1968 and is planned to be removed from the battle force in fiscal year (FY) 2025, when the ship’s Terminal Off-load Program begins. Meanwhile, Leyte Gulf, the Navy’s 9th Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser and one of its most veteran of the type still in service, had her first steel cut at Pascagoula in 1985 and has a planned decommissioning in 2024 alongside sister San Jacinto, from whom’s bridge the top two images were captured. The oiler Grumman was laid down in 1987 while Nimitz’s sister Truman was ordered the year after. In short, most of the rank and file working on these ships are younger than the compartments they work, eat, and sleep in.

To them, they are serving in the “Old Navy” of which they will one day regale these new recruits.