User:Marcd30319/Marcd30319 original Carrier Strike Group Eleven

Carrier Strike Group Eleven, abbreviated CSG-11 or CARSTRKGRU 11, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. U.S. Navy carrier strike groups are employed in a variety of roles, all of which involve gaining and maintaining sea control.

Carrier Strike Group Eleven is currently based at Naval Air Station North Island, and it typically deploys to the U.S. Seventh Fleet operating in the Western Pacific (WESTPAC) and the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf. The current flagship for Carrier Strike Group Eleven is the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68).

Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five
On 1 September 1961, Rear Admiral Joseph C. Wylie became Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine, aboard USS Oklahoma City. He had arrived onboard Oklahoma City as Commander Cruiser Division Three on 22 August 1961, and merely changed titles in September without shifting flagship. As of 1 July 1969, USS Oklahoma City was under the Administrative control of Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine, with his headquarters in San Diego. The primary mission of CRUDESFLOT NINE during the Vietnam War era had been to ensure the effective employment of approximately 60 cruisers and destroyers in the United States Seventh Fleet. By January 1973, with the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine had expended nearly 80,000 rounds in naval gunfire support missions. This offshore firepower, and the equally important role of search and rescue coordination, were vital parts of the extensive Naval presence in the South China Sea. In 1973, a major reorganization of the U.S. Navy's cruiser-destroyer force resulted in Cruiser-Destroyer Flotilla Nine's re-designation as Cruiser Destroyer Group Five (CDG-5).

Rear Admiral Gerald E. Thomas served as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five in 1974-76. Then Captain Leon A. Edney served as Chief of Staff to the Commander Cruiser-Destoryer Group Five after 1976.

In the summer of 1992, the U.S. Navy instituted a concept which mandated greater task group integration of naval air and surface warfare assets into a more permanent carrier battle group structure. Instead of routinely changing the cruisers, destroyers, and frigates assigned to each carrier battle group, there was an attempt made to affiliate certain escorts more permanently with the carriers they escorted. Each of the Navy's 12 existing carrier battle groups was planned to consist of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruiser, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines. The guided-missile cruisers USS Cowpens (CG-63), USS Chancellorsville (CG-62), USS Worden (CG-18), and USS Leahy (CG-16); Destroyer Squadron 17; Carrier Air Wing Fifteen; and the carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) were permanently assigned to Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five.

On Aug. 1, 1992, Kitty Hawk was appointed as Commander, Naval Air Force Pacific's "ready carrier." The ship embarked Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five; Commander, Destroyer Squadron SEVENTEEN and Carrier Air Wing FIFTEEN for three months of work-ups before deploying to the Western Pacific on Nov. 3, 1992. While on deployment, Kitty Hawk spent nine days off the coast of Somalia supporting U.S. Marines and coalition forces involved in Operation Restore Hope. In response to increasing Iraqi violations of United Nations sanctions, the ship rushed to the Persian Gulf on December 27, 1992. Just 17 days later, Kitty Hawk led a joint, coalition offensive strike against designated targets in southern Iraq.

On 15 July 1998, Rear Admiral Daniel R. Bowler (and his relief RADM Peter W. Marzluff), Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5, assumed operational control of Nimitz. (DANFS, Nimitz) Kitty Hawk had left the group by shifting her homeport to Yokosuka, Japan, arriving there on 11 August 1998.

In July 2000, USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) was transferred to Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five (up to June 2000 it had been part of Carrier Group Five). From 21 September 2001 to 13 December 2001, following an overhaul, Nimitz sailed round Cape Horn to her new home port of NAS North Island. Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5 and CVWR-20, the latter comprising VFA-204, VAW-78, VS-22, VRC-30, HC-11 and HS-75, were aboard. (DANFS) Carrier Air Wing Eleven was reassigned to Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five and the Nimitz in January 2002. Then Rear Admiral Samuel J. Locklear took command of CCDG-5/Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in 2002, deploying to the Middle East in 2003.

On 1 October 2004, Cruiser Destroyer Group Five (CDG-5) was re-designated Carrier Strike Group Eleven.

Nimitz Carrier Battle Group
On 15 July 1998, Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five (CCDG-5) assumed control of Nimitz. At this time, Rear Admiral Daniel R. Bowler appears to have been in the process of being relieved by Rear Admiral Peter W. Marzluff. The Nimitz battle group received a Meritorious Unit Commendation in recognition of its support U.S. naval operations involving Operation Southern Watch and the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis between 13 December 1995 and 3 May 1996. The battle group also received a Navy Unit Commendation in recognition of its support of combat air operation for Operation Iraqi Freedom between 4 April to 1 May 2003.

Command structure
Commander Carrier Strike Group Eleven serves as Immediate Superior-in-Command (ISIC) for the ships and units assigned to the Carrier Strike Group. Acting as an Operational Commander, he exercises oversight of unit-level training, integrated training, and readiness for assigned ships and units, as well as maintains administrative functions and material readiness tracking for ships and squadrons assigned to the strike group.

CARSTRKGRU 11's pre-deployment Composite Training Unit Exercise comes under the operational control of the U.S. Third Fleet. When deployed overseas, the group comes under the command of the numbered fleet commander in whose area it is operating.

The carrier strike group is an operational formation. Administratively the ships and aircraft of the strike group also report to U.S. Navy type commands. The aircraft carrier Nimitz, the guided missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG-59), and Destroyer Squadron 23 are under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Surface Forces Pacific. Carrier Air Wing Eleven is under the administrative authority of Commander, Naval Air Force Pacific.

Force composition in 2012
U.S. Navy carrier strike groups typically consist of an aircraft carrier (flagship), an embarked carrier air wing, at least one Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, and a destroyer squadron. As of 2011, Carrier Strike Group Eleven is composed of the following units:


 * USS Nimitz (CVN-68), flagship (pictured)
 * Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11)
 * USS Princeton (CG-59)
 * Destroyer Squadron 23:
 * USS Spruance (DDG-111)
 * USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110)
 * USS Sampson (DDG-102)
 * USS Pinckney (DDG-91)
 * USS Vandegrift (FFG-48)

2004–2009 operations
Since its redesignation as Carrier Strike Group Eleven in 2004 though 2009, the Nimitz carrier strike group undertook three overseas dedeployments to provide combat air support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, as well as regional maritime security operations and counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa. This included a special WESTPAC surge deployment during 2007 in accordance with the U.S. Navy's Fleet Response Plan (FRP) when the Yokohama-based aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) underwent a yard overhaul. CARSTRKGRU 11 has also participated in several mult-lateral naval exercises, including Valiant Shield 2007, Malabar 07-2 with India, Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2008 off Korea, and USWEX 09, as well as participation in Theater Security Cooperation activities with various regional naval forces.

Change of command
On 6 March 2010, Rear Admiral Robert P. Girrier relieved Rear Admiral John W. Miller as the commander of CARSTRKGRU 11. Admiral Miller's next assignment is commander of the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada. Admiral Girrier's previous assignment was the vice commander of the Naval Mine and Anti-submarine Warfare Center in San Diego, California.

Sea trials and certifications
The carrier Nimitz underwent sea trials from 30 June to 2 July 2010 following a 30-day carrier incremental availability (CIA) conducted when the ship returned from its extended 2009 WESTPAC deployment. Both the Nimitz and Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) conducted carrier qualifications off the coast of southern California between 12–14 July 2010. If an aircraft carrier goes longer than 120 days without conducting aircraft launch and recovery operations, it loses its flight deck certification. Conducting these carrier qualifications with CVW 11 ensured Nimitz maintained its certification. CVW 11 embarked 12 aircraft and a third of its crew for the underway period. Beginning in September 2010, Nimitz began preparations for its upcoming docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) at Naval Base Kitsap in Washington.

2011 maintenance cycle
Following its arrival at Naval Base Kitsap on 9 December 2011, Nimitz entered drydock at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF) to undergo a scheduled 12-month-long, $250 million (USD) Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) yard overhaul on 16 December 2011. Nimitz's DPIA is scheduled from 31 January 2011 through 16 December 2011. The DPIA included major upgrades to its potable water system, navigation systems, electrical load centers, and numerous other components. On 29, September 2011, Nimitz moved from the PSNS & IMF Dock 6 to Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton's Pier Delta after completing its required out-of-the-water maintenance while in dry dock. On 5 March 2012, the Nimitz completed its 15-month, $239 million (USD) DPIA maintenance cycle.

Homeport change
On 6 December 2010, the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) departed Naval Station San Diego for Naval Base Kitsap. Initially, Nimitz's homeport status was undetermined, with Naval Station Everett as a possibility, because the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is scheduled to undergo her mid-life Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) in Norfolk, Virginia, beginning in 2013.

On 9 December 2010, the Navy formally announced that Everett is the new homeport for the Nimitz. On 11 May 2011, the U.S. Navy announced a change in Permanent Duty Station (PDS) for Carrier Strike Group Eleven, with its PDS shifting from Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego, California, to Naval Station Everett, Washington, in December 2011.

On 9 March 2012, the aircraft carrier Nimitz arrived at its new homeport of Naval Station Everett after spending nearly a week at sea conducting post-overhail sea trials.