From USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs
PACIFIC OCEAN - USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 14, completed their pre-deployment training March 5 and departed the Southern California area of operations for its regularly scheduled deployment to the Western Pacific and Central Command areas of responsibility.
"We have successfully completed all of our final qualifications,” said USS Ronald Reagan Commanding Officer, Capt. Thom Burke. “The ship and air wing have been training hard and are ready for any tasking that we might receive in the upcoming months.”
The carrier will join its other Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) ships, USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, which includes USS Preble (DDG 88). The CSG departed Coronado, Calif., on Feb. 2 for its Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) prior to deployment.
The strike group successfully completed its JTFEX, which culminates a year of exercises between ships within the strike group, and all training and readiness exercises needed to deploy.
Embarked on Ronald Reagan with CVW 14 are the "Black Knights" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154, the "Argonauts" of VFA-147, the "Blue Diamonds" of VFA-146, the "Death Rattlers" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, the "Black Eagles" of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 113, the "Cougars" of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron (VAQ) 139, the "Providers" of Carrier Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30 and the "Black Knights" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 4.
Ronald Reagan CSG helps provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within 3rd Fleet’s 50-million square mile area of responsibility in the Eastern Pacific, as well as supporting the Navy’s Maritime Strategy when forward deployed.
US Pacific Fleet
