BREMERTON, Wash. - The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) departed Naval Base Kitsap, April 27.
While underway, Nimitz will participate in a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX). COMPTUEX is an intensive exercise designed to fully integrate units of a carrier strike group (CSG), while testing a strike group's ability as a whole to carry out sustained combat operations from the sea. Ships, squadrons and staffs will be tested across every core warfare area within their mission sets through a variety of simulated and live events, including air warfare, strait transits, and responses to surface and subsurface contacts and electronic attacks.
Carrier strike groups are capable of deploying anywhere in the world on short notice to answer the nation’s call and support its partners and allies in order to ensure maritime security and stability.
“I am incredibly proud of this team,” Rear Adm. Yvette M. Davids, commander of CSG 11. “The men and women of Carrier Strike Group 11 joined the military and raised their right hand because they had a calling to serve for moments precisely like this - with our nation and our citizens facing such significant challenges. Our nation looks to us to be ready to return to sea, to execute our mission, and to support our national security objectives. We are humbled and honored to do so.”
Taking advantage of lessons learned, Nimitz completed a 27-day quarantine period and tested all hands for COVID-19 prior to departure to ensure the crew was healthy and ready to conduct operations at sea.
“Dealing with the challenges of the COVID pandemic has been difficult, so I’m very pleased that our mitigation efforts have put us in a position to get underway,” said Captain Max Clark, commanding officer. “We are all looking forward to training and operating again. I give the crew all the credit. From the beginning, they have done all that I and Navy leadership have asked them to do -- face coverings, social distancing, continuous ship sanitization, testing and periods of quarantine; all executed with precision and professionalism. Without their hard work and personal sacrifices, getting this warship out to sea would not have been possible. And I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge our Navy families that serve as our bedrock of support.”
In addition to Nimitz, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group ships and units scheduled to conduct COMPTUEX are guided-missile cruisers USS Princeton (CG 59), homeported in San Diego, Calif.; guided-missile destroyers USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53), homeported at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; USS Sterett (DDG 104), homeported in San Diego, Calif., and USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), homeported in Everett, Wash.; Destroyer Squadron 9 based in Bremerton, Wash.; and Carrier Air Wing 17 and it associated squadrons and personnel from Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Wash., NAS Lemoore, Calif., NAS North Island, Calif., and Naval Base Ventura County, Calif.
All Nimitz CSG units will complete COVID-19 testing prior to getting underway or embarking in addition to having completed a fast cruise or quarantine of at least 14 days.
USS Nimitz and Carrier Strike Group 11 are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our Sailors and Marines while providing a wide range of options for senior commanders.