SHOW OF CARRIER FORCE
The US Navy marked a milestone
in early November 2017 when
seven of its 11 aircraft carriers
were simultaneously at sea for the rst time since 2004. At the time,
three of the ships, comprising
the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76),
USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and
their associated carrier strike
groups (CSGs) were conducting
operational deployments in the
western Paci c as part of the
Seventh US Fleet. In addition,the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70)
and USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)
were operating in the eastern
Paci c and the USS Abraham
Lincoln (CVN 72) and the navy’s
newest carrier, USS Gerald R.
Ford (CVN 78), were conducting
training operations in the Atlantic.
The three deployed CSGs
subsequently joined together to
conduct joint exercises o the
coast of the Korean peninsula in
the Sea of Japan from November
11-14, 2017. They were joined
by ships from South Korean and
Japan to conduct air defense drills,
defensive air combat training,
sea surveillance, under-way
replenishments, close-in co-
ordinated maneuvers and other
training. The exercise marked
the rst time three strike groups
have operated together in the
western Paci c since 2007. The
Nimitz CSG was at the tail end
of a deployment to the Persian
Gulf that began in June and the
Roosevelt CSG deployed from San
Diego, California, en route to the
same area on October 7, 2017.PAX RIVER
PROWLER RETIRED
Air test and evaluation
squadron VX-23 retired its last
EA-6B Prowler airborne electric
attack aircraft following its nal
ight at NAS Patuxent River,
Maryland, on August 29, 2017.
Known as ‘Salty Dog 536’, the
Prowler had been assigned to
the squadron since 2004. It was
subsequently placed on displayat the Patuxent River Naval Air
Museum in Lexington Park on
October 7. The EA-6B was the
56th of 170 Prowlers produced
by Grumman Aerospace for
the US Navy and Marine Corps.
Prowlers currently remain
operational with one Marine
Corps squadron at MCAS Cherry
Point, North Carolina.
‘BIG RED’ RECEIVES TRITON
The US Navy’s rst operational
MQ-4C unmanned air system
(UAS) arrived at Naval Base Ventura
County Point Mugu, California,
on April 9, 2017. The Triton was
own from Northrop Grumman’s
facility at Palmdale Regional
Airport, California, by a crew
from unmanned patrol squadron
VUP-19, at NAS Jacksonville,
Florida. A second Triton was
delivered to the base by the
end of the year. Both aircraft will
undergo a series of tests beforethey are deployed to Andersen
AFB, Guam in 2018. The Tritons
will be maintained by personnel
assigned to VUP-19, Detachment
Point Mugu but own by crews
at Jacksonville. The navy plans to
acquire 68 Tritons and will initially
operate the unmanned aircraft
from Naval Station Mayport,
Florida and NAS Sigonella, Italy, as
well as Guam. A second squadron
will be established when VUP-
is established at NAS Whidbey
Island, Washington.Touchdown for the last time — VX-23’s EA-6B lands at NAS Patuxent
River in heavy rain at the culmination of its nal ight.
US Navy/Liz WolterThe USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and USS Nimitz (CVN 68) strike groups
operate together in the western Paci c on November 11, 2017. The strike groups were conducting operations
in international waters as part of a three-carrier strike force exercise. US Navy/LT JG James Gri nThe rst MQ-4C for unmanned patrol squadron VUP-19 Detachment Point
Mugu arrived at Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu at the conclusion
of a ight from Palmdale on November 9. US Navy/Theresa MillerUS NAVY & MARINE CORPS AIR POWER YEARBOOK 2018
NEWS HIGHLIGHTS^1714-19 Air power review C.indd 17 01/06/2018 15: