User:Marcd30319/Marcd30319 original Carrier Strike Group Nine rev 1

Carrier Strike Group Nine, abbreviated CSG-9 or CARSTRKGRU 9, 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. The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is the group's current flagship.

Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three
Effective 30 June 1973, was re-designated as Commander Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three (CCDG-3). On 10 December 1981, the CCDG-3 Staff embarked on board the Forrestal-class aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-61) (pictured) to prepare for its first Carrier Battle Group deployment. Since that date, deployments have been made on the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), USS Enterprise (CVN 65), USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). In early 1991, Rear Admiral P. M. Quast, Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three, led Battle Group Bravo on deployment to the Middle East. The group consisted of USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Texas (CGN-39), USS Rentz (FFG-46), USS Stein (FF- 1065), USS HAROLD E. HOLT (FF 1074), USS Camden (AOE-2), and USS Chancellorsville (CG-62), along with Commander, Destroyer Squadron TWO ONE and Carrier Air Wing Nine embarked in Nimitz.

In April 1992 with the implementation of the Core Battle Group concept, CCDG-3 was assigned as permanent Immediate Superior In Command for USS Antietam (CG 54), USS Arkansas (CGN 41), and USS Vincennes (CG 49). The USS England (CG 22) was assigned to CCDG-3, but was decommissioned in January 1994. In August 1992, USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen were added, and CCDG-3 took on the additional title of Commander, Carl Vinson Battle Group. In October 1992, Surface Squadron 5 was redesignated Destroyer Squadron 5 and assigned under CCDG-3. The addition of USS Cushing (DD 985), USS Harry W. Hill (DD 986), USS Fletcher (DD 992), and USS Reuben James (FFG-57) rounded out the Vinson Battle Group's forces. In December 1992, two submarines, USS San Francisco (SSN 711) and USS Asheville (SSN 758) were added. USS Lake Erie (CG 70) joined the group in March 1993 and USS Russell (DDG 59) joined in September 1994. CCDG-3 completed a very successful deployment to the Persian Gulf in August 1994. In January 1996, Carl Vinson Battle Group was redesignated Carl Vision Task Group and Destroyer Squadron 5 was reassigned to Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific in Hawaii on 1 February 1996. The Carl Vinson Task Group successfully completed all predeployment examinations and deployed in May 1996 with USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Shiloh (CG 67), USS Arkansas (CGN 41), USS California (CGN 36), USS Crommelin (FFG-37), USS Camden, USS Hawkbill (SSN-666), USS Jefferson City (SSN 759), and Carrier Air Wing Fourteen. In June 1998 CCDG-3 deployed to the Persian Gulf. The deployment was the first onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)].

On 1 October 2004, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three was re-designated as Carrier Strike Group Nine.

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group
On 20 August 1998, the group took part in Operation Infinite Reach. This operation involved the launching of Tomahawk cruise missiles against the Sudanese Al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory, which was suspected of assisting Osama Bin Laden in making chemical weapons. The Battle Group also launched a second wave of Tomahawk cruise missiles against Bin Laden's terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. These cruise missile strikes were ordered by President Clinton 13 days after terrorists bombed the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Rear Admiral Kevin Green transferred command of the group to incoming Rear Adm. Phillip Balisle on 3 December 1999, aboard the flagship Abraham Lincoln.

In 2002, the battle group deployed to the Persian Gulf to fly operations over Afghanistan, and in 2003, the group carried out combat operations against Iraqi military forces during the U.S. invasion of Iraq (pictured).

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group received a Navy Unit Commendation for its support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Southern Watch, and Operation Iraqi Freedom during the period of 1 September 2001 to 30 April 2003, completing of an overseas deployment of 290 days, longer than any other nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in history. The Battle Group received its second NUC as part of the U.S. Fifth Fleet's battle/strike force, Task Force 50, during August 1998, and it received its third NUC for operations between 4 March to 1 May 2003.

The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for its support of Operation Southern Watch (OSW) during the period of 11 June to 11 December 1998, in which was also included its support of Operation Infinite Reach. The Battle Group received a second MUC for its operations during the period of 1 January 1999 to 10 September 2001, including OSW air combat operations.

Command structure
Commander Carrier Strike Group Nine (COMCARSTRKGRU 9) serves as Immediate Superior-in-Command (ISIC) for the ships and units assigned to the group. The group commander 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 group. Carrier Strike Group Nine reports to Commander, U.S. Third Fleet, which also supervises its pre-deployment training and certification – achieved through a Composite Unit Training Exercise. When deployed overseas, Carrier Strike Group Nine comes under the authority of the numbered fleet commander in whose area it is operating. When deployed in this fashion, the group utilizes a task force or task group designator, for example, Task Group 50.1 in the Fifth Fleet area.

Assigned units
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 Nine is composed of the following units:


 * USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), flagship (pictured)
 * Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2)
 * USS Vicksburg (CG-69)
 * Destroyer Squadron Nine (DESRON-9)
 * USS Sterett (DDG-104)
 * USS Halsey (DDG-97)
 * USS Momsen (DDG-92)
 * USS Shoup (DDG-86)
 * USS Ingraham (FFG-61)
 * USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60)
 * USS Ford (FFG-54)

2004-2005 deployment
On 19 October 2004, the newly re-designated Carrier Strike Group Nine departed Naval Base San Diego, California, under the command of Rear Admiral William D. Crowder. During its 2004-2005 WESTPAC deployment, Carrier Strike Group Nine executed 4400 fix-winged sorties for a total of 7588 flight hours; executed 1518 rotary-wing sorties for a total of 4401 flight hours; and completed 4455 flight deck landings (traps) while also flying 1737 humanitarian relief missions in support of Operation Unified Assistance (OUA) between 26 December 2004 and 3 February 2005. Also, helicopter squadron HSL-47 (pictured) was the first LAMPS helicopter squadron deployed in its entirety on board an aircraft carrier, with the squadron providing LAMPS detachments to the other ships within the strike group. During the 2004 WESTPAC deployment, HSL-47 detachments operated from the cruiser Cape St. George and the destroyer Shoup. On 26 December 2004, a massive submerged earthquake and ensuing tsunami waves swept across the Indian Ocean basin, causing widespread devastation and killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries. The military element of humanitarian and relief effort was designated Operation Unified Assistance (OUA) under the direction of Combined Support Force 536 (CSF-536). On 28 December 2004, Carrier Strike Group Nine (CARSTRKGRU 9) set sail from Hong Kong and arrived off the coast of Indonesia near Banda Aceh, Sumatra, on 1 January 2005. CARSTRKGRU 9's commander, Rear Admiral William D. Crowder, was designated as commander, Combined Support Group Indonesia, as part of CSF-536.

Abraham Lincoln's Air Transportation Office (ATO) coordinated the flow of supplies into the region, and the carrier provided air traffic control for the relief effort. SH-60 helicopters Seahawks from squadrons HSL-47 and HS-2 ferried supplies from collection points in Sumatra for trans-shipment to disaster victims in the vicinity. The intensive nature of the support missions drove the Seahawks to log over 1,000 hours, more than three times the expected wear-and-tear of standard deployments. HSL-47 itself logged over 600 hours during the month of January 2005.

CARSTRKGRU 9 ships, such as DESRON-9 destroyer Benfold, served as re-fueling stations for helicopters involved in relief efforts. Benfold provided 155 gallons (586.7 liters) of fuel a day, accounting for more than 14,500 gallons (54,888.47 liters) of fuel since Operation Unified Assistance began. Benfold also served as a mothership for Naval Oceanographic Office team conducting safety of navigation surveys of the altered Indonesian coastlines that had been affected by the tsunami at the request of the Indonesian government. The fast combat support ship Rainier provided underway replenishment support to 32 American, British, and Australian warships involved in Operation Unified Assistance.

Sailors and Marines from Carrier Strike Group Three went ashore to provide humanitarian assistance. Sailors from the Abraham Lincolns Engineering Department Repair Division designed a potable water manifold to help bring fresh water to Aceh Province, Sumatra, with the system beginning to ship the much-needed fresh water on 4 January. Also, teams from the strike group, including the destroyer Benfold, flew into Banda Aceh daily to work at the Sultan Iskandar Muda Air Force Base to unload humanitarian aid from trucks to waiting helicopters that deliver the aid to survivors in remote locations.

In total, Carrier Strike Group Three delivered 5,929,000,000 pounds (2,689,349,161.7 kg) of relief and Humanitarian supplies, including 2,915,500 pounds (1,322,448,554.7 kg) of food and 748,410 pounds (339,473.065 kg) of medical supplies, during Operation Unified Assistance (OUA). Carrier Strike Group received the Humanitarian Service Medal in recognition of its humanitarian assistance/disaster response (HA/DR) efforts during the OUA mission.

CARSTRKGRU 9 entered the U.S. Third Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) between 21–22 February 2005 and completed its 2004 WESTPAC deployment when it returned to its home port of San Diego on 4 March 2005.

2006 deployment
Abraham Lincoln completed additional sustainment training in southern Californian waters between 21–24 February 2006 and departed its homeport of Naval Station Everett, Washington, on 27 February 2006 under the command of Rear Admiral John W. Goodwin. The carrier sailed to southern Californian waters to rendezvous with the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) and DESRON-9 guided-missile destroyers USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Russell (DDG 59) and to embark Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2). On 15 April 2006, HSL-47 helicopters and the destroyer Russell provided aid to a fishing vessel in distress (pictured) while operating in the South China Sea.

Between 25–27 March 2006, CARSTRKGRU 9 participated in USWEx 08-3, a series of anti-submarine warfare exercises (ASW) in Hawaiian waters while en route to the U.S. Seventh Fleet’s area of responsibility (AOR). In addition to the strike group, Undersea Warfare Exercise 08-3 (USWEx 08-3) also included the nuclear-powered attack submarines USS Seawolf (SSN-21), USS Cheyenne (SSN-773), USS Greeneville (SSN-772), USS Tucson (SSN-770), and USS Pasadena (SSN-752), as well as land-based P-3 Orion aircraft from patrol squadrons VP-4, VP-9, and VP-47.

Between 24–31 March 2006, personnel and units of the U.S. military and Republic of Korea (ROK) Combined Forces Command (CFC) engaged in Reception, Staging, Onward-movement, & Integration (RSOI)/Foal Eagle 2006 (RSOI/FE 06). RSOI/Foal Eagle are annual theater-wide computer-simulated and field exercises designed to evaluate and improve the U.S. and ROK forces' ability to coordinate the procedures, plans, and systems necessary to defend the ROK in a contingency basis. These combined and joint exercises also focused on ground maneuver, command-and-control training, and air, naval, expeditionary, and special operations. Foal Eagle involved more than 70 U.S. and ROK Navy warships and more than 100 aircraft from all services of the U.S. and ROK armed forces. The exercise is designed to demonstrate U.S. resolve to support the Republic of Korea (ROK) while improving overall readiness. For RSOI/Foal Eagle 06, Carrier Strike Group Nine (CARSTRKGRU 9) provided close-air support for ground units, air-to-air defense exercises, maritime inter-operability training, and expeditionary operations. This included combat air patrols and coordinated bombing runs involving strike squadrons VFA-2, VFA-34, VFA-137, and VFA-151 from Carrier Air Wing Two teaming with U.S. Air Force aircraft from the 18th Wing based at Kadena Air Base via the exercise’s Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC). Also, five ROK naval officers embarked aboard Abraham Lincoln to train with the ships’ crew. On 29 March 2006, General B. B. Bell, commander, U.S. Forces Korea, along with Deputy Commander Combined Forces, General Hee Won-lee, and other senior members of the ROK military, flew aboard the Abraham Lincoln to witness the carrier strike group’s operations. Following RSOI/Foal Eagle 06, CARSTRKGRU 9 paid a port visit to Hong Kong between 6–10 April 2006.

Carrier Strike Group Nine also paid a port visit to Singapore between 27 April–1 May 2006 and subsequently transited the eastern portion of the Strait of Malacca. On 3 May 2006, while conducting flight operations in the Java Sea, CARSTRKGRU 9 was visited by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia B. Lynn Pascoe and Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Indonesian secretary-general of defense, who thanked the strike group for their relief work during Operation Unified Assistance. On 9 May 2006, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, along with several government officials, the heads of Brunei’s armed forces, and Charge d’affaires of the U.S. Embassy to Brunei Jeff Hawkins, visited USS Abraham Lincoln off the northwest coast of the island of Borneo to thank the strike group for its Operation Unified Assistance relief work. During its 2006 WESTPAC deployment, CARSTRKGRU 9 hosted more than 3,000 Distinguished Visitors (DV), public visitors, and members of the media.

During May 2006, while enroute to Sasebo, Japan, Carrier Strike Group Three had to divert its course because of Typhoon Chanchu by through Philippine waters via the Balabac Strait, between the Philippine island of Palawan and Sabah, Borneo, crossed the Sulu Sea, and then transited the Surigao Strait between the islands of Mindanao and Samar before CARSTRKGRU 9 returned to its original course for Japan. On 27 June 2006, CARSTRKGRU 9 entered the U.S. Third Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) and a port visit to Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Valiant Shield 06 was held in the Guam operating area between 19–23 June 2006, and it included 28 naval vessels, nearly 300 aircraft and, approximately 22,000 service members from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard. Valiant Shield is a joint exercise designed to reinforce the United States’ commitment to the Pacific Region by demonstrating the U.S. military’s ability to conduct joint command and control operations and rapidly deploying joint forces in response to any regional contingency. The centerpiece of ValiantShield 2006 was the three carrier strike groups (pictured):


 * Carrier Strike Group Five (CARSTRKGRU 5) led by the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
 * Carrier Strike Group Seven (CARSTRKGRU 7) led by the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
 * Carrier Strike Group Nine (CARSTRKGRU 9) led by the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)

Valiant Shield 06 was the first time that three carrier strike groups had operated together in the Pacific on over ten years. Valiant Shield 06 also provided Carrier Strike Group Nine with the opportunity to exploit the tactical flexibility of its FA-18C Hornet strike fighter, undertake undersea warfare (USW) detection and tracking, and command and control capabilities, as well as the air intercept capabilities of the AEGIS radar-equipped cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG-53). Also, Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 2 (HS-2) flew to Guam to participate naval special warfare missions, such as dropping SEAL teams onto rooftops in an urban environment at night (pictured), with SEAL Team 1 and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5. On 17 June 2006, twenty-two military observers from Russia, India, and Japan flew from Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, to the carrier Abraham Lincoln via a VRC-20 C-2A Greyhound cargo plane to observe Valiant Shield 06. During their visit, the guests toured the combat direction center, hangar bays, and bridge, and watched flight operations from the flight deck. Valiant Shield 06 marked the first time that Chinese military observers were invited to a major U.S. wargame exercise.

Held between 30 June–29 July 2006, Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2006 (RIMPAC 2006) was the twentieth in a series of multilateral maritime exercises conducted biennially since 1971. It involved naval forces from Australia, Canada, Chile, Peru, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom. RIMPAC training operations also included the participation of 35 ships, more than 60 aircraft and 18,000 Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Soldiers, and Coast Guardsmen of the U.S. Armed Forces. A delegation of 10 Chinese officers also observed part of the exercise. During the exercise, the carrier Lincoln served as the command and control hub for the multi-national task force (pictured); Destroyer Squadron 9 (DESRON-9) and helicopter squadrons HS-2 and HSL-47 of conducted anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface warfare (ASUW) training; and Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) fixed-wing aircraft provided Combat Air Patrol (CAP) support for the multi-national fleet operation off Guam. The multi-nation task force also participated in four separate sinking exercises (SINKEX) involving decommissioned U.S. naval vessels. On 9 July, the carrier Abraham Lincoln hosted a four-member delegation from the Australian Parliament who visited various parts of the ship, including medical spaces, the mess decks and the flight deck. On 29 July, more than 1,000 guests including sailors from each of the participating countries joined a pierside reception on board the Abraham Lincoln as she sailed from Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after the final weekend of RIMPAC 06.

On 8 August 2006, the strike group's flagship, the carrier Abraham Lincoln, returned to her homeport of Naval Station Everett, Washington, completing Carrier Strike Group Nine's 2006 WESTPAC deployment. During this deployment, CARSTRKGRU 9 participated in three major exercises (i.e., Foal Eagle 06, Valiant Shield 06, RIMPAC 06), as well as several passing exercises (PASSEX) and port visits, and CVW-3 aircraft flew 7,871 sorties, with a total of 7,578 catapult launches from the flight deck of the Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln also returned the two SH-60B Seahawk aviation repairable pack-up kits, including four aviation consumable Vidmar cabinets, to NAS North Island.

2008 deployment
On 13 March 2008, Carrier Strike Group Nine departed from Naval Base San Diego, California, for its 2008 Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment under the overall command of Rear Admiral Scott R. Van Buskirk, USN aboard the strike group's flagship, the carrier Abraham Lincoln, with Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) embarked on Lincoln. On 1 May 2008, Carrier Strike Group Nine relieved Carrier Strike Group Ten led by the carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). In addition to the various port visits and regional naval exercises, CARSTRKGRU 9 operated in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A) and Operation Iraqi Freedom as a unit of the U.S. Fifth Fleet. Carrier Air Wing Two (CVW-2) flew approximately 7,100 sorties, totalling more than 22,000 flight hours, which included 2,307 combat sorties that dropped 255,963 pounds (116,102,863.8 kg) of ordnance. On 9 May, while operating with Combined Task Force 150, the destroyer Shoup assisted a disabled dhow Dunia by towing it (pictured) from the Gulf of Aden to Al-Mukalla, Yemen. Carrier Strike Group Nine also paid two port visit to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates (UAE), during its 2008 deployment with the U.S. Fifth Fleet. On 8 October 2008, Carrier Strike Group Nine completed its 2008 WESTPAC deployment when the strike group arrived at Naval Base San Diego, California, and its flagship, the carrier Abraham Lincoln arrived back at its homeport of Naval Station Everett, Washington, on 12 October 2006.

2009 operations
On 5 February 2009, Destroyer Squadron Nine (DESRON-9) completed its Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) re-certification off the coast of San Clemente Island, California. NSFS exercises involved destroyers and cruisers firing their deck guns in support of ground troops ashore, and its certification allowed destroyers and cruisers to provide naval gunfire support (NGF) for ground forces operating ashore while under enemy fire. These exercise began in January 2009 with the Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Pacific (EWTGPAC) monitoring the ships' firing teams during a live-fire exercises in a variety of combat scenarios. Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) re-certification is a key milestone for DESRON-9's for pre-deployment Sustainment Exercise (SUSTAINEX) training cycle.

Carrier Strike Group Nine warships USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), USS Shoup (DDG-86), USS Ingraham (FFG-61), and USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60) subsequently hosted more than 40 first class and second class midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs from colleges across the United States as part of the midshipman summer training program. Also, on 20 July 2009, DESRON-9 warships USS Momsen (DDG-92), Shoup, Ingraham, and Rodney M. Davis participated in three-day training maneuvers off the coast of Washington.

2010–2011 deployment
On 11 September 2010, Carrier Strike Group Nine (CARSTRKGRU 9), under the command of Rear Admiral Mark D. Guadagnini, depart Navy Base San Diego, California, for its 2010 western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. Admiral Guadagnini set forth the objectives of his strike group for its 2010 WESTPAC deployment as follows:
 * Security and stability lead to peace and prosperity. Lincoln Strike Group is ready to deploy world-wide as a force for peace in support of our nation’s global interests.

While enroute, the strike group executed a series of additional training exercises, including carrier qualifications (CQ), anti-piracy training, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercises off Guam with the Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Hawaii (SSN-776).

Following its rotation with the Fifth Fleet and the Seventh Fleet, the carrier Abraham Lincoln, with the destroyers Momsen and Shoup, arrived at Naval Air Station San Diego, California, on 19 March, and subsequently to their homeport of Everett, Washington, on 24 March 2011. The destroyer Halsey arrived at San Diego on 14 March 2011. Squadrons from Carrier Air Wing 2 also returned to their bases on 18 March.

During Carrier Strike Group Nine's 2010–2011 western Pacific deployment, Carrier Air Wing Two flew more than 8,300 sorties and completed more than 23,500 flying hours, of which more than 3,600 sorties and almost 11,000 hours were flown in support of U.S. and coalition ground forces in Afghanistan.

Strike group warships USS Cape St. George (CG 71), USS Sterett (DDG-104), USS Halsey (DDG-97), USS Momsen (DDG-92), and USS Shoup (DDG 86) assisted mariners in distress and provided humanitarian assistance to more than 10 vessels. The strike group also conducted military exercises with France, Bahrain, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. Finally, Helicopter Strike Maritime Squadron (HSM-77) was named as a top U.S. Navy helicopter squadron based on the U.S. west coast, earning a Battle "E" award.

On 25 September 2010, the strike group enter the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of responsibilitity (AOR). On 8 October 2010, Carrier Strike Group Nine paid its first foreign port call at Port Klang, Malaysia, which was followed by a multi-unit ASW exercises held on 23 October.

On 17 October 2010, Carrier Strike Group Nine, with Carrier Air Wing 2 embarked, arrived in the U.S. Fifth Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR), joining Carrier Strike Group Ten, led by the carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), as part of Task Force 50 (pictured), the Fifth Fleet's carrier strike force. The task force's mission is to provide support for the surge of coalition forces in Afghanistan, to support existing maritime security operations in the Persian Gulf, and to support the drawdown of forces in Iraq. For long-range air combat missions over Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force KC-135 and KC-10s provided aerial tanker support to CVW-2 aircraft. The French carrier task group led by the Charles de Gaulle joined Carrier Strike Group Nine operating in the Persian Gulf (pictured). On 18 November 2010, the carrier Abraham Lincoln hosted seven ambassadors during a port visit to Manama, Bahrain, and on 6 December 2010, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates visited the Abraham Lincoln while operating in the Arabian Sea. A total of 999 War in Afghanistan-related sorties and 76 Operation New Dawn-related sorties were flown during the 2010–2011 Western Pacific deployment. On 28 December, with the carrier strike group operating in the Arabian Sea, Carrier Air Wing Two flew its 1000th sortie, amassing thus far a total of more than 5,884 hours flown supporting Afghanistan operations during this Western Pacific deployment. Carrier Strike Group Nine completed its final air operations over Afghanistan on 3 February 2011. Since 20 October 2010, Carrier Air Wing Two has launched more than 1,800 combat sorties in excess of 10,000 flight hours with a 100 percent completion rate for Afghanistan related missions. On 10 February 2011, CARSTRKGRU 9 completed its 45th day of at-sea operations, with Carrier Air Wing Two having launched over 7,000 sorties including nearly 2,000 directly supporting ground combat troops. Aircraft from Carrier Strike Group Nine also participated in joint aerial combat training exercises with the Royal Malaysian Air Force on 14 February 2011. On 22 February 2011, the strike group flagship Abraham Lincoln hosted a Brunei military delegation led by Deputy Minister of Defense Dato Paduka Mustappa Sirat.

The guided-missile destroyer Halsey was assigned to counter-piracy operations in and around the Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Red Sea; and Momsen operated with Combined Task Force 152 in the Persian Gulf. On 5 December 2010, the Halsey and the French frigate Tourville participated in a bi-lateral naval gunnery exercise (GUNEX) in the Arabian Sea to enhance coalition maritime forces training and coordination. On 18 January 2011, a sailor from the guided-missile destroyer Halsey was reported overboard in the Gulf of Oman, initiating a search and rescue (SAR) involving helicopter from the Halsey, the fast combat support shup Ranier, and the British guided-missile frigate HMS Cumberland (F85), as well as land-based P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and FA-18 strike fighters from Carrier Air Wing Two based on the carrier Abraham Lincoln. On 19 January, the body of the missing sailor was recovered 75 miles (120.7 km) east of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, and was identified as Petty Officer Dominique Cruz, 26, of Panama City, Florida. On 31 January 2011, the cruiser Cape St. George responded to a distress call from a sinking Iranian dhow by dispatching a rescue team via a rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB). The U.S. naval team attempted to repair the dhow's dewatering pumps, but they were unable to stop the flooding. The Iranian fishermen were brought aboard the Cape St. George where they were examined by the medical staff before being transferred to an Iranian customs vessel. On 2 February 2011, the DESRON-9 destroyer Momsen, with the cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), responded to a distress call from the Panamanian-flag merchant vessel Duqm in the Gulf of Oman. Both ships disrupted a pirate attack on the Duqm, tracked the two pirate skiffs back to their mothership, and destroyed the two skiffs to prevent their use in future pirate attacks (pictured).

2011–2012 deployment
On 7 December 2011, the carrier Carl Vinson departed from Naval Station Everett, Washington, and the cruiser Cape St. George from Naval Base San Diego, California, to start their 2011-2011 Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment. The destroyer Sterett departed San Diego on 6 December 2011 to join up with the other units of Strike Group Nine.

On 13 December 2011, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 77 (HSM-77) flew from Naval Air Station North Island, California, to Carrier Strike Group Nine. Squadon HSM-77 and its 270 sailors deployed as part of Carrier Air Wing two aboard the carrier Abraham Lincoln. Detachments 2, 3 and deployed earlier this month to the cruiser Cape St. George and the destroyers Sterret and USS Momsen, respectively, with two helicopters per each detachment. Carrier Air Wing Two. The squadron serves as the eyes and ears for the carrier strike group, providing important anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Following its 2011–2012 WESTPAC deployment, Squadon HSM-77 will fly cross-country to return to NAS North Island while the Abraham Lincoln will begin its four-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News shipyard in Virginia.

On 9 January 2012, Carrier Strike Group One, led by the carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), joined Carrier Strike Group Three, led by the carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), in the North Arabian Sea, with Carrier Strike Group Nine enroute to the Arabian Sea amid rising tension between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran over U.S. naval access to the Strait of Hormuz. On 19 January 2012, Carrier Strike Group Nine entered the U.S. Fifth Fleet's area of responsibility and relieved Carrier Strike Group One (pictured).

On 22 January 2012, Carrier Strike Group Nine was joined by the British Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll (F231) and French frigate La Motte-Picquet and together this American-British-French naval flotilla transited the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf without incident. Three weeks later, the carrier Abraham Lincoln, the cruiser Cape St. George, and the destroyer Sterett transited through Strait of Hormuz into the northern Arabian Sea on 14 February 2012, concluding Carrier Strike Group Nine's initial operations in the Persian Gulf. The strike group's movements were monitored by Iranian patrol boats and aircraft during its transit.

In addition to combat air support for coalition forces in Afghanistan, Carrier Strike Group Nine maintained flights operations some 30 nmi miles off the coast of Iran. Also, the new British guided-missile destroyer HMS Daring (D32) operated with Carrier Strike Group One and Carrier Strike Group Nine in the Persian Gulf and North Arabian Sea, respectively, during that ship's maiden overseas deployment.

On 16 February 2012, from the North Arabian Sea, the carrier Abraham Lincoln and its embarked Carrier Air Wing Two began flying air combat missions in support of coalition ground forces in Afghanistan, with strike group commander Rear Admiral Mike Troy M. ("Mike") Shoemaker noting:


 * The strike group's surface ships and aircraft squadrons are all manned, trained and ready. We've done the preparation, now it's time to get to work.

To assist the strike group's combat air operations, U.S. Army ground liaison officers (GLO) from the 4th Battlefield Coordination Detachment served as communications links between ground forces in Afghanistan and Carrier Air Wing Two. GLOs use various networks such as the combined enterprise regional information exchange system and secret internet protocol router network phones to communicate with ground forces about planned missions and patrols. They also brief pilots prior to every sortie flown in support of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan (OEF-A). Once the aircraft launch from the ship, the forces on the ground are in direct contact with the pilots in the air. GLOs also help interpret jargon from the different branches of service and work to decipher it for other personnel.

On 17 January 2012, the guided-missile destroyer USS Momsen (DDG-92) conducted a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) exercise with Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 1131 (EODMU-1131) based on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. The EOD team fast-roped onto Momsen from a helicopter from squadron HSC-12 to maintain the proficiency and qualifications for both the EOD personnel and the helicopter pilots. Following that evolution, they conducted training with the Momsen's 12-man VBSS team. These exercises were vital in an anti-piracy and boarding operations.

On 31 January 2012, at 12:37 pm local time, an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter from squadron HSC-12 spotted a disabled Iranian fishing dhow, the M/V Sohaila, with nine crew members aboard (pictured). The dhow's master issued a distress call, reporting that his crew was in good condition, but that Sohaila's engine had overheated, which prevented the vessel from operating at sea. The guided-missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) responded to the distress call. A visit, board, search and seizure team from the Jones board the Irania vessel, and they were joined by a diving team from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 1131 flown from the carrier Abraham Lincoln. The Sohaila's engine was repaired, and after determining that the Iranian mariners had ample supplies and fuel, the U.S. boarding party departed. Strike group commander Rear Admiral Troy M. ("Mike") Shoemaker noted:


 * This is one of the reasons our Navy exists. We preserve freedom of navigation and the unimpeded flow of commerce on the high seas. But anytime we come across a vessel in need of engineering or medical assistance, our Sailors are ready to assist with their expertise – in this case engineers and divers.

The guided-missile destroyer Sterrett served as the flagship for the Kuwaiti-led exercise Stakenet held 5–9 February 2012 in the Persian Gulf under the operational command of Combined Task Force 152 (CTF-152), the Persian Gulf maritime security task force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) multi-lateral naval command.

Stakenet exercises are held regularly during each nation’s rotation in command of the Command Task Force 152. Units from CMF navies and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Coast Guard forces join together to exercise procedures to protect critical maritime infrastructure within the Persian Gulf region. By doing so, maritime tactics and reporting procedures become familiar and clearly understood by all of the nations taking part. The 2012 Stakenet exercise was hailed as a considerable success during the post-exercise conference held at sea, yielding useful lessons regarding multi-layered protection and secure communications procedures and exercising the best tactical employment of the differing classes of ships and aircraft.

Warships that participated in Stakenet 2012 (pictured) included the U.S. guided-missile destroyers Sterrett and USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) and the coastal patrol vessels USS Typhoon (PC-5) and USS Chinook (PC-9); the British frigate HMS Argyll (F231); and the Kuwati fast-attack craft Al Nokhetna and Maskan. Air units included U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters, U.S. Navy P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, and U.S. Air Force F-16 fighters.

Deployment force composition

 * 2004-2005 deployment
 * 2006 deployment
 * 2008 deployment
 * 2010–2011 deployment
 * 2011–2012 deployment

Deployment exercises and port visits

 * 2004-2005 deployment
 * 2006 deployment
 * 2008 deployment
 * 2010–2011 deployment
 * 2011–2012 deployment