The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) conducted a live-fire exercise in the Indian Ocean, March 12. Units from the strike group engaged inflatable surface targets with a variety of weapons systems. F/A-18E Super Hornets from the “Golden Warriors” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 87 and the “Blue Diamonds” of VFA-146 dropped Mark 76 inert bombs, MH-60S Sea Hawks from the “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 and MH-60R Sea Hawks from the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 used crew-served weapons and USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Russell (DDG 59) fired inert rounds from their Mark 45 5-inch guns.
“This exercise was a great opportunity for the strike group to practice integrating its air wing and surface assets to prosecute a surface target,” said Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo, commander, U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group Nine (CSG-9 or CARSTRKGRU 9). “We continue to keep our tactical warfighting skills sharp to demonstrate our commitment to our allies and partners in the region.”
It is currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is the group’s current flagship. Other group units include Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, the Ticonderoga-class cruisers USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and USS Cape St. George (CG-71), and Destroyer Squadron 23. The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRCSG) is deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to build partnerships that foster maritime security and to conduct a wide range of operations that support humanitarian efforts and freedom of the seas. Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego for a scheduled deployment to the Indo-Pacific December 23.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group traces its history to Cruiser-Destroyer Group 3, created on 30 June 1973, by the re-designation of Cruiser Destroyer Flotilla 11. On 1 October 2004, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group 9. From 2004, the strike group has made multiple Middle East deployments providing air forces over Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as conducting Maritime Security Operations. The strike group received the Humanitarian Service Medal in recognition of its disaster relief efforts in Indonesia during Operation Unified Assistance in 2004–05.
