PACIFIC OCEAN -- Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and ships assigned to the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (VINCSG) arrived in the Hawaii Islands Operating Area as part of Large-Scale Exercise (LSE) 2021, Aug. 8.
Led by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, VINCSG surface units participating in LSE include carrier flagship Vinson; Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57); and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers from Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, USS Chafee (DDG 90) and USS Stockdale (106).
"LSE at its core is leveraging integrated fighting power of multiple naval forces to share sensors, weapons and platforms across all domains" said Rear Adm. Dan Martin, commander, CSG 1. "Contemporary naval doctrine demands a shift of focus from the individual carrier strike group to a fleet-centric approach. During LSE 2021, CSG 1 assets will participate in live and virtual events designed to combine the art of science and naval warfare into a joint-force training platform."
LSE will display abilities to employ precise, lethal and overwhelming force globally across three naval component commands, five numbered fleets and 17 time zones. The first iteration provides high-end training at sea and ashore involving only U.S. participants; however, future training will evolve into a triennial exercise that will include U.S. allies and partners.
VINCSG began LSE 2021 with a coordinated long-range maritime strike exercise. These and other events will ensures Naval forces maintain maritime advantages against long-term competitors seeking to undermine rules-based international order. Collaboration between the Navy and Marine Corps will demonstrate their ability to protect and defend American interests around the globe. Across all spectrums of warfare, the fleets' readiness will demonstrate the ability of the U.S. to defend their national interests.
"Large Scale Exercise is a true demonstration of Navy and Marine Corps readiness to fight and our flexibility to control and project sea power," said Capt. Gilbert Clark, commander, DESRON 1. "During this time of strategic competition, we routinely deploy credible and capable Naval forces ready to protect and defend American interests."
LSE scenarios will assess and refine modern warfare concepts, from the operational level to the tactical, in multi-domain and contested environment's. These will include Distributed Maritime Operations, Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and Littoral Operations, which are critical to the U.S. and partners in order to maintain peace, security and stability around the globe.
"This is the first large-scale exercise held in decades and I am excited about the high-end integration of the carrier, and all that it brings, at sea," said Capt. P. Scott Miller, Vinson's commanding officer. "Carl Vinson and our embarked air wing are trained and ready to participate in the first Naval and amphibious large-scale exercise conducted since the Ocean Venture NATO exercises of the Cold War."
Aircraft of VINCSG include nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2: an F-35C squadron, the "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147; three F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons, the "Bounty Hunters" of VFA-2, the "Stingers" of VFA-113, and the "Golden Dragons" of VFA-192; the "Gauntlets" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136, operating the EA-18G Growler; the "Black Eagles" of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 113, operating the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye; the "Titans" of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron (VRM) 30, operating the CMV-22B Osprey; the "Black Knights" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 4, operating the MH-60S Seahawk; and the "Blue Hawks" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 78, operating the MH-60R Seahawk.
"LSE 2021 allows us to validate newly developed technologies, techniques and procedures that allow the Navy and Marine Corps to effectively fight, win, and deter potential adversaries," said Capt. Tommy Locke, commander, CVW-2. "Our efforts to synchronize the Navy and Marine Corps' surface and air units across all domains distribute lethality and survivability across the force."
LSE 2021 is a Chief of Naval Operations directed exercise led jointly by U.S. Fleet Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet and U.S Naval Forces Europe alongside their Marine counterparts, U.S Marine Forces Pacific, U.S. Marine Forces Atlantic and U.S. Marine Forces Europe.
VINCSG is a multiplatform team of ships, aircraft and more than 7,000 Sailors, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe. VINCSG is deployed in support of global maritime security operations.
For more news from CSG 1, visit https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/CSG1.