U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), together with its carrier strike group (Ike CSG), entered the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, July 8.
The carrier, accompanied by embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3, guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) and guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG 56), concluded operations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, July 7.
Four Ike CSG ships are already operating in U.S. 5th Fleet: guided-missile destroyers USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Mason (DDG 87) and guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61).
“The Ike CSG is dedicated to our commitment to enhanced security operations in this diverse theater,” said Rear Adm. Jesse Wilson , commander, Ike CSG.
The strike group will conduct maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR).
Since June 28, CVW-3 has completed a total of 116 sorties from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in support of OIR.
Ike CSG is the first CSG to deploy under the new optimized fleet response plan (OFRP), a cross-community collaboration effort to better prepare the fleet in meeting combatant commander needs without straining the ships, planes and Sailors. It is also the centerpiece of the Great Green Fleet for the second half of 2016, an initiative that demonstrates efforts to transform energy use.