Vinson to Arrive After Unified Response, Refueling

The guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7), and the Peru navy frigate BAP Carvajal (FM 51) break away from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) after completing tactical maneuvering exercises. Carl Vinson is supporting Southern Seas 2010, a U.S. Southern Command-directed operation that provides U.S. and international forces the opportunity to operate in a multi-national environment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ashley Van Dien/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and its 3,500 crew members expect to arrive at their new homeport at Naval Air Station North Island (NASNI) April 12.

Carl Vinson departed Norfolk, Va., Jan. 12 and participated in Operation Southern Seas 2010, a U.S. Southern Command Partnership of the Americas operation, which provided U.S. and international forces the opportunity to operate in a multinational environment.

During the transit, the Carl Vinson conducted several engagements and exercises with regional partner nations including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico. Vinson also conducted air wing at-sea exercises with Brazil, Argentina and Peru. The crew enjoyed port visits in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Lima, Peru.

Prior to Operation Southern Seas, Carl Vinson led initial U.S. Navy efforts in Operation Unified Response, an interagency humanitarian aid and disaster relief effort to Haiti following a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. The carrier and its embarked helicopters delivered almost 3 million lbs of cargo ashore. Specifically, the ship delivered 1,095,442 lbs of food; 147,591 gallons of water; and over 40,000 pounds of medical supplies. The ship's medical team treated 60 patients, while the air wing flew 1,299 sorties and conducted 1,152 medical evacuations.

The Navy took re-delivery of USS Carl Vinson in July 2009, following the successful completion of its refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) in Newport News, Va. Vinson began its RCOH in November 2005, during which more than 20 million man-hours of work were conducted, divided between refueling the propulsion plant, upgrading ship's infrastructure to last another 25 years, and modernizing combat systems and their effectiveness.

In October 2009, the Navy announced that Carl Vinson would be the flagship of the newly established Carrier Strike Group 1, based in San Diego and commanded by Rear Adm. Ted Branch.

Also aboard the aircraft carrier are elements from Carrier Air Wing 17 including the "Red Lions" of Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 15, the "Sunliners" of Strike Fighter Squadron 81, the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 and the "Tigertails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125. San Diego-based Destroyer Squadron 1 embarked aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), escorted the carrier around South America and participated in Haiti relief efforts.

Carl Vinson Makes Port Call in Rio de Janeiro

The guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) takes on fuel from the Nimitz-class carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) during an underway replenishment near South America. Both ships are participating in Operation Southern Seas. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joel Carlson/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class(SW/AW) Jason Thompson, USS Carl Vinson Public Affairs

RIO DE JANERIO, Brazil (NNS) -- Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) arrived in Rio de Janeiro Feb. 26 as part of Southern Seas 2010, a component of U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Partnership of the Americas.

"South America is a hugely important part of the world and so it's very important that our Navy understand and appreciate the relationships, cultures and capabilities of our partner navies," said Rear Adm. Ted Branch, commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1. "So this gives us a great opportunity as a Navy to foster those relationships, improve our understanding and our cooperation and interoperability with partner navies in the region."

Carl Vinson's arrival follows a recent visit by Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command Rear Adm. Victor Guillory during which he expressed appreciation for the outstanding support provided by the Brazilian Navy to the U.S. during its training periods and regional exercises. Branch went on to say these interactions only reinforce South American partnerships.

"When you visit other countries and you talk to the people, you interact with other people and places, my experience is you always come away with a real appreciation, a more in-depth knowledge of their culture and their identity, and there's always a greater a degree of understanding," said Branch. "That mutual understanding and respect gained through port visits and theater-security cooperation and interaction like that are always valuable to the whole world because it promotes understanding and fosters good relationships."

After more than three weeks at sea, the port call is the first occasion for Carl Vinson's crew to interact with locals and experience genuine South American culture.

"The crew has performed admirably," said Carl Vinson Commanding Officer Capt. Bruce H. Lindsey. "After their swift and remarkable response to Haiti and a brief visit in Mayport, Fla., this chance to experience Brazilian culture is exciting. The crew is taking advantage of our MWR (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) tours and is looking forward to the interaction."

Also making the port call is USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 1 and air wing components from CVW 17, VFA 81, VAW 125, VRC 40, and HS 15, which are all currently assigned to CSG 1.

Nearly all of the tours offered by the ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department sold out three days prior to the port visit.

Carl Vinson will continue with Southern Seas 2010 and meet with more South American military and civilian representatives and take advantage of unique port calls as part of a scheduled homeport shift.

Navy Establishes Carrier Strike Group 1

An F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 136 prepares to land on USS Carl Vinson's (CVN 70) flight deck during routine flight operations. Carl Vinson is underway conducting flight deck certification after the completion of its scheduled refueling complex overhaul (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding. The RCOH was an extensive yard period that all Nimitz-class aircraft carriers go through near the mid-point of their 50-year life cycle. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stephen Rowe/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The Navy formally established Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1 in San Diego October 1, 2009. The flagship for CSG 1 will be the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), currently homeported in Newport News, Va. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 1, USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) will round out the strike group.

Commanded by Rear Adm. Ted "Twig" Branch, CSG 1 will be a San Diego-based operational command and will report to Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet.

"We are excited by the opportunity to establish this new command and bring the power of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group online in support of our nation's defense," said Branch. "I'm also very happy to bring this capability, along with the men and women who make it possible, to the great city of San Diego."

Carrier Strike Group 1's first mission is expected to be a transit around South America in the spring of 2010 as Vinson relocates to its new homeport of San Diego.

In support of the nation's maritime strategy, CSG-1 will help promote regional partnerships, deter crisis, project power, promote maritime security, and provide humanitarian assistance or disaster relief within the U.S. Pacific Fleet's 100 million square-mile area of operations.

The Navy took redelivery of Vinson July 11, 2009, following the successful completion of the ship's midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH).

USS Carl Vinson is the third Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to complete RCOH at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News and is undergoing a four-month post-refueling shipyard maintenance period to prepare for its transit to San Diego.

USS Bunker Hill Completes Sea Trials

USS BUNKER HILL, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) successfully completed sea trials Feb. 6 off the coast of San Diego to test and validate its recently installed combat systems.

Bunker Hill's crew successfully tested the ship's new Aegis Weapons System, the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) and SPQ-9B Radar. Successful firing of the Close-in Weapons System (CIWS) Block 1B and 5-inch/.62 caliber gun were also completed.

"These trials were a critical step in an extraordinarily complex modernization program." said Capt. Robin Russell, program manager of surface combatants program office in Naval Sea Systems Command's Surface Warfare Directorate (SEA 21). "Today, the Cruiser Modernization team, the ship's crew and our industry partners all demonstrated their commitment to bringing these advanced capabilities to the fleet."

Bunker Hill is the first guided-missile cruiser to receive a complete set of upgrades as part of the Navy's Cruiser Modernization program. Each of the Navy's 22 Ticonderoga-class cruisers are scheduled for modernization over the next 10 years.

A key feature of the ship's modernization is the installation of Aegis Open Architecture (AOA) to upgrade the Aegis Weapon System. The AOA upgrade provides the capacity for future combat system growth over the life of the class as well as mission expansion, such as ballistic missile defense.

Over the next several years, SEA 21 will manage this structured modernization program to ensure that these ships reach their expected 35-year service life which is vital for the Navy's goal of a 313-ship fleet.

Additional testing will occur over the next several months, and Bunker Hill is projected to rejoin the fleet in early fiscal year 2010.

SEA 21 manages the complete life-cycle support for all non-nuclear surface ships and is the principal interface with the Surface Warfare Enterprise.

The directorate is responsible for the maintenance and modernization of non-nuclear surface ships currently operating in the fleet. Through planned modernization and upgrade programs, SEA 21 will equip today's surface ships with the latest technologies and systems to keep them in the fleet though their service lives.

Additionally, SEA 21 oversees the ship inactivation process, including transfers or sales to friendly foreign navies, inactivation and or disposal.