USA: Carl Vinson Conducts Live-Fire Exercise

USS Carl Vinson (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Petty Officer 3rd Class Zackary Alan Landers, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Public Affairs

USS CARL VINSON, At Sea (NNS) -- Crew members aboard aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) conducted a live-fire exercise with the ship's RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile weapons systems and Phalanx Close-In Weapons System Nov. 2.

Carl Vinson fired at two drones using the ship's aft RAM launcher and fired the CIWS as part of a pre-aim calibration firing evolution during Carrier Strike Group 1's Composite Training Unit Exercise.

"The firing exercise tested the strike group's entire self-defense capability, from the radars to the missile systems and everyone operating them," said Petty Officer 2nd Class Kelly Smith, the defensive weapons coordinator for the exercise. "We also verified the ship's self-defense capabilities to track and engage a threat."

During the RAM live-fire portion of the exercise, Team Vinson successfully tracked and engaged two targets, and fired two missiles. 

The CIWS PAC fire served a dual purpose -- allowing Carl Vinson Sailors to perform a maintenance check, as well as readying the mounts for a rogue drone situation, according to Smith.

"If we're under attack, today's evolutions prove we can defend ourselves against an air strike," said Smith. "Exercises like this are vital to the constant improvement of the strike group's effectiveness, and Carl Vinson's combat readiness."

US Navy