US Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 8 completed the Fleet Synthetic Training – Group Commander exercise, Aug. 21.
FST-GC is an exercise designed to test the strike group’s ability to perform together in different synthetic scenarios. Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Carrier Airwing 7, and Destroyer Squadron 28 joined forces to tackle this evolution.
The training placed the strike group underway in a realistic training scenario where they completed basic tasks that progressed into more challenging requirements. Participants included personnel from the U.S., Britain, Denmark and Germany as well as guided missile cruiser USS Anzio (CG 68), and guided missile destroyers USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) and USS Gravely (DDG 107).
Operating in a simulated environment enabled the ability to focus on training new watchstanders without the distractions of the variables present while underway, such as bad weather. A second advantage of conducting pier-side evolutions is the cost savings to taxpayers by not getting the five ships participating underway.
Image: US Navy