The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group entered the South China Sea January the 23rd to conduct routine operations, say the U.S. Navy.
The U.S. Navy add that strike group is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet to ensure freedom of the seas, build partnerships that foster maritime security, and conduct a wide range of operations.
“After sailing through these waters throughout my 30-year career, it’s great to be in the South China Sea again, conducting routine operations, promoting freedom of the seas, and reassuring allies and partners,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, Carrier Strike Group Nine.
“With two-thirds of the world’s trade traveling through this very important region, it is vital that we maintain our presence and continue to promote the rules-based order which has allowed us all to prosper. While we miss visiting our allies and partners in the region in person, we’re grateful for all the opportunities we have to operate with them at sea.”
While in the South China Sea, the strike group is conducting maritime security operations, which include flight operations with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, maritime strike exercises, and coordinated tactical training between surface and air units.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group consists of USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS John Finn (DDG 113).
To be followed soon…by a United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group. Who would have put money on that only a few years ago.
But so much better to do it together.
That would..will(?) be something to see.
It just shows that Biden wanted to send a message to China!
So we now we have proof of it.
Are you listening Dan?
This was scheduled months ago like all major ship movements. Try again. haha
So I make that:
1 carrier
6 DDG (Destroyer Sqn 23) – source Wikipedia
2 additional destroyers
1 guided missile cruiser
(+ 1 or more SSN’s no doubt)
Is that correct?
That kind of puts our CSG in perspective really.
Ps – only an observation.
Not so long ago a single US CSG would out match any single countries Navy on its own and they had 10 of them so pretty much the rest of the world combined.
But…. the bigger question will be asked in times of war……. as it always has been.
True, mate. I was just really wondering whether that was a standard active deployment for this kind of operation?
Maybe some of Destroyer Sqn 23 are being rotated or carrying out solo operations in the region?
They’re well tooled up compared to our forthcoming deployment.
I think our carrier groups will always have at least 1 European escort and 1 us escort on deployment. It makes sense to improve inter operability as well. There is no way 2 T45 could defender a carrier by themselves, especially if one went out of action due to systems failure or worse.
Well that may be the case on a NATO deployment, but from what I’ve read, it’s also meant to be a sovereign capability too.
I suppose that brings it back to my point/question:
Is the US carrier group described how they routinely operate? Are they putting the whole fleet out because it’s considered a higher threat area of operation? When they’re floating around off Hawaii, is the group more like the proposed UK CSG?
Is the proposed UK sovereign capability under resourced for the forthcoming deployment? (I probably know what the answers to that will be…)
According to wiki a US CSG consists of 1-2 Ticonderoga cruisers and 2-6 A Burkes. Plus support ships. In theory you could compare a T45 to Burke if you believe 1 aster is as good as 2 SM2’s or whatever number it is. But there is still no cruiser packed with 98 mk41s