Commander, Carrier Strike Group FOUR (CCSG-4 or COMSTRKGRUFOUR) is the U.S. Fleet Forces Command formation charged with training and certifying Atlantic Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploying surface ships. Its mission is to "Conduct safe and effective Strike Force Training of the Atlantic Fleet."[2]
Carrier Division Four was initially activated as an element of the United States Fifth Fleet on 13 March 1943. Seeing extensive action throughout the Second World War, Carrier Division Four was embarked in many of the most famous aircraft carriers in the Pacific Theater: USSBunker Hill(CV-17), USSIntrepid(CV-11), USS Independence (CVL-22), USS Franklin (CV-13), USS Cabot (CVL-28), and USS Lake Champlain (CV-39). As a major participant in the Marshall Islands Campaign, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, and the Battle off Cape Engaño, planes under the direction of Carrier Division Four, aboard the USS Intrepid, sank Japanese aircraft carriers Zuiho, Zuikaku, and Chiyoda. Other notable victories include the sinking of the battleship Yamato and naval support during the Battle of Okinawa.
Following World War II, Carrier Division Four was transferred to the Atlantic Fleet. In October 1955, Carrier Division Four assumed administrative command of the world's first super-carrier, USSForrestal(CVA 59). USS Saratoga (CVA-60) joined the Division in 1956, making Carrier Division Four the first task group composed solely of super-carriers. Subsequent operations laid the foundation for tactical employment of carriers well into the next decade.
Commander, Carrier Division Four boarded the USS Forrestal in July 1965 and deployed to the Mediterranean, where it transferred to the USS Franklin D Roosevelt and returned to Norfolk in December 1965. It did two or three additional Mediterranean Sea cruises on USS Independence and USS America before January 1969 (exact dates and sequence not known).
Carrier Division Four was re-designated Carrier Group Four in July 1973. It was responsible for facilitating the Navy's transition from traditional battle force tactics to the modern day battle group concept, emphasizing the Commander's responsibility for the whole battle group (destroyers, submarines, and auxiliaries) and not just the carrier and air wing.[citation needed]
Carrier Group Four conducted two deployments to the Mediterranean in the late seventies and embarked USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) in the Indian Ocean during the 1980 Iranian Hostage Crisis. In 1983, Carrier Group FOUR served in the Second, Sixth, and Seventh Fleets on USS Carl Vinson's (CVN-70) maiden cruise.
In October 1984, Commander, Carrier Group FOUR began working for Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, as the primary readiness and training flag staff. Additionally, Commander, Carrier Group FOUR reported to Commander, Second Fleet in the NATO role of Commander, Striking Fleet Atlantic, performing operational tasking as described in the Maritime Strategy and NATO's Concept of Maritime Operations. In that capacity, Carrier Group FOUR was again re-designated as Commander, Carrier Striking Force.
In 1985, Carrier Group FOUR embarked USS Yorktown (CG 48) for the first live missile firing to include command/control/target tracking from a platform different than the missile-firing ship. In late summer, Commander, Carrier Group FOUR embarked USS America (CV-66) for NATO exercise OCEAN SAFARI 85, successfully conducting the first carrier flight operations in a Norwegian fjord. This led to an entirely new concept of tactical operations for the Carrier Battle Group.
From 1987 to 1989, Carrier Group FOUR conducted seven Advanced Phase Training operations for Atlantic Fleet Carrier Battle Groups in preparations for their deployments and participated in NATO exercises OCEAN SAFARI 87, TEAM WORK 88, and NORTH STAR 89. In May 1989, the Staff embarked in USS Mount Whitney (LCC-20) for SOLID SHIELD 89, a joint service exercise which introduced the first employment of an embarked naval commander as Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC).
In response to Operation Desert Shield, Carrier Group FOUR successfully certified two carriers and their air wings for deployment on short notice, without the necessity of full Fleet exercise training.
In February 1991, the command was given the additional responsibility of conducting joint operations aimed at interdicting the flow of narcotics from South America as Commander, Task Group 4.1. From July 1994 to September 1994, Commander, Carrier Group FOUR was ordered to Saudi Arabia as Deputy Commander, Joint Task Force Southwest Asia, in support of Operation Southern Watch.
Commander, Carrier Striking Force's robust NATO participation included NORTH STAR 91, TEAM WORK 92, and STRONG RESOLVE 95. For STRONG RESOLVE 95, Commander, Carrier Striking Force acted as the JFACC for part one of the exercise, successfully introducing this advanced concept to NATO.
From September 1996 to July 1997, Commander, Carrier Group FOUR completed two Advanced Phase Training exercises and developed and conducted two Carrier Battle Group Comprehensive Training Unit Exercises (COMPTUEXs).
In October 2004, CCG4 was re-designated Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic (CSFTL) and was, again, reorganized to work for Commander, Second Fleet (COMSECONDFLT) as the Atlantic Fleet integrated training lead. With the disestablishment of COMSECONDFLT on 30 September 2011, CSFTL was assigned directly to U.S. Fleet Forces Command as an Echelon III command, and was tasked to enable, mentor and assess integrated tactical training in order to ensure the warfighting primacy of Atlantic Fleet Naval Forces. Administratively aligned under CSFTL are the following commands: Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TTGL) and Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic (EWTGL).
Strike Force Training, Atlantic held a change of command ceremony in Norfolk 23 Sept. 2013.[4]
Rear Adm. Scott A. Stearney relieved Rear Adm. Scott T. Craig as commander. On 29 April 2014, CSFTL was re-designated Commander, Carrier Strike Group Four (CCSG 4). The mission of CCSG-4 is to execute, mentor, and assess At-Sea (Live), Synthetic and Academic scenario-based integrated training of Atlantic Fleet CSGs, ARGs, independent deployers, and other designated groups, enabling them to operate in integrated, joint, and coalition environments in the conduct of combatant commander tasking.
Rear Adm. Richard W. Butler relieved Rear. Adm. Scott A. Stearney as commander of Carrier Strike Group 4 (CSG4), 31 July 2014, during a change of command ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk.[5]
On 29 April 2014, Commander Strike Force Training Atlantic (CSFTL) was re-designated Commander, Carrier Strike Group Four (CCSG 4).
Composite Training Unit Exercises are designed to integrate all warfare areas of the CSG or ARG/MEU. Force Protection Exercises are designed to certify deploying units in land, air and waterside attacks for two years allowing them to conduct ports of call while deployed in OCONUS.
JTFEXs provides the Strike Group with realistic training in joint operations prior to deployment. The exercise requires integration of the CSG's existing warfighting ability with other Joint and Combined assets to support warfare under a challenging threat scenario. Upon successful completion, CCSG-4 recommends deployment certification to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces.
In addition, Fleet Synthetic Training (FST) is used throughout the training cycle to prepare units to go to sea. Synthetic training utilizes simulators and role players, and prepares units to go to sea at considerable savings (in fuel, material, etc.)
The United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) is a service component command of the United States Navy that provides naval forces to a wide variety of U.S. forces. The naval resources may be allocated to Combatant Commanders such as United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) under the authority of the Secretary of Defense. Originally formed as United States Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) in 1906, it has been an integral part of the defense of the United States of America since the early 20th century. In 2002, the Fleet comprised over 118,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel serving on 186 ships and in 1,300 aircraft, with an area of responsibility ranging over most of the Atlantic Ocean from the North Pole to the South Pole, the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean along the coasts of Central and South America.
The Sixth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy operating as part of United States Naval Forces Europe-Africa. The Sixth Fleet is headquartered at Naval Support Activity Naples, Italy. The officially stated mission of the Sixth Fleet in 2011 is that it "conducts the full range of Maritime Operations and Theater Security Cooperation missions, in concert with coalition, joint, interagency, and other parties, in order to advance security and stability in Europe and Africa." The current commander of the Sixth Fleet is Vice Admiral Jeffrey T. Anderson.
The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 70 ships, 150 aircraft and 27,000 sailors and marines. Its principal responsibilities are to provide joint command in natural disaster or military operations and operational command of all U.S. naval forces in the region.
The United States Second Fleet is a numbered fleet in the United States Navy responsible for operations in the East Coast and North Atlantic Ocean. Established after World War II, Second Fleet was deactivated in 2011, when the United States government believed that Russia's military threat had diminished, and reestablished in 2018 amid renewed tensions between NATO and Russia.
The Commander United Kingdom Strike Force is a senior post in the Royal Navy.
A carrier strike group (CSG) is a type of carrier battle group of the United States Navy. It is an operational formation composed of roughly 7,500 personnel, usually an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigates, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft. A carrier strike group also, on occasion, includes submarines, attached logistics ships and a supply ship. The carrier strike group commander operationally reports to the commander of the numbered fleet, who is operationally responsible for the area of waters in which the carrier strike group is operating.
Carrier Strike Group 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. As of August 2022, CSG-10 consists of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the strike group's current flagship, with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on board, as well as the Ticonderoga-class cruiserLeyte Gulf, and four ships of Destroyer Squadron 26.
Carrier Strike Group 11 is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is the strike group's current flagship. Other units currently assigned to the group include the cruisers USS Lake Erie (CG-70) and USS Princeton (CG-59), and Destroyer Squadron 9.
Carrier Strike Group One is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is the strike group's current flagship, and other units currently assigned are the ship's Carrier Air Wing 2 and embarked Destroyer Squadron 1, deployed with Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain, as well as Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Michael Murphy and USS Wayne E. Meyer.
Carrier Strike Group 2 is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group, tracing its history originally to 1931. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is the strike group's current flagship. As of Aug 2020, other units assigned to Carrier Strike Group 2 included the nine squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Three; the Ticonderoga-class cruisersUSS Philippine Sea (CG-58); USS Monterey (CG-61), USS Vella Gulf (CG-72) and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyersUSS Mitscher (DDG-57), USS Laboon, USS Mahan (DDG-72), and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) from Destroyer Squadron 22.
Carrier Strike Group 3 is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is the group's current flagship. Other units assigned as of 2024 include Carrier Air Wing Nine, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyersUSS O'Kane (DDG-77), USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), and USS Spruance (DDG-111), which are part of Destroyer Squadron 21.
Carrier Strike Group 14 was a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. The group was for some time the only U.S. carrier strike group that did not have an assigned aircraft carrier or carrier air wing. As of December 2010, it directed the cruisers USS Gettysburg (CG-64) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58). Carrier Strike Group 14 was seemingly last based at Naval Station Mayport. Without a carrier flagship, it did not conduct the typical deployments of other carrier strike groups; instead, its two cruisers made independent voyages.
Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific, abbreviated as CSFTP or COMSTRKFORTRAPAC, was the U.S. Fleet Forces Command formation charged with training and certifying Pacific Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploying surface ships.
Carrier Strike Group 15, is a training formation of the United States Navy. It trains and certifies Pacific Fleet Carrier Strike Groups, Amphibious Ready Groups, and independently deploying surface ships. It replaced Commander, Strike Force Training Pacific in a title change. Carrier Strike Group Four is the equivalent command for US Fleet Forces ships.
Carrier Strike Group Seven was a U.S. Navy carrier strike group active from October 2004 until 30 December 2011. The strike group's antecendants included two previous aircraft carrier formations, Carrier Division Seven and Carrier Group Seven. Its heritage thus includes the Second World War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War, as well as the first and the second Persian Gulf wars, encompassing a total of 34 deployments to the Western Pacific Ocean and Persian Gulf.
Carrier Strike Group Three 2004–2009 operations included a world cruise, three western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployments and a change-over of its flagship. During this period, CARSTRGRU-3 provided combat operational support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A) as well as participated such major exercises as Valiant Shield 2007, Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2009, and Northern Edge 2009. The strike group's 2005 WESTPAC deployment marked the final overseas mission for Sea Control Squadron 33 (VS-33), the Screwbirds. Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71), a new component to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), became the first squadron of its kind to embark on board a carrier as part of a carrier air wing when it operated with Carrier Strike Group Three during its 2009 WESTPAC deployment
Summer Pulse 2004 (SP04) was the codename for a worldwide surge deployment that served as the first full-scale test of the United States Navy's then-new Fleet Response Plan (FRP). During Summer Pulse 2004, a total of seven carrier strike groups were underway at the same time in five different Numbered fleet areas of responsibility. This number of underway carrier strike groups had not been matched since the six carrier battle groups deployed during Operation Desert Storm. In addition to the carriers, the Navy also deployed 17 submarines and one submarine tender.
Commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, abbreviated as CCSG-8 or COMCARSTRKGRU 8, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. As of 2018 the group flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrierUSS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). As of 2021, the other units of the group are the guided-missile cruiser USS San Jacinto (CG-56), Carrier Air Wing One, the ships of Destroyer Squadron 28 as well as the Royal Norwegian Navy's frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310), which joined the strike group for one deployment.
Carrier Strike Group 6 was a United States Navy carrier strike group. Its last homeport was Naval Station Mayport at the mouth of the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida. Fifty-one Rear Admirals served as Commander, Carrier Division/Group/Strike Group 6 from August 1944 until the command was deactivated in April 2007.
Carrier Strike Group 5, also known as CSG 5 or CARSTRKGRU 5, is the U.S. Navy carrier strike group assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and permanently forward deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet. The Strike Group Flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) which also embarks Strike Warfare Commander, Carrier Air Wing Five and its nine squadrons. As of June 2015, CSG 5 includes two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Destroyer Squadron Fifteen, which serves as the Sea Combat Commander and is responsible for nine assigned Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
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