Commander, U.S. Second Fleet, Joint Force Command – Norfolk Vice Adm. Doug Perry led the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) in the role of a NATO maritime component commander during a multi-day scenario in the strike group’s current Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) – the Joint Force’s most complex, multi-domain training event.
In addition to supplementing the final training and certification event for the Harry S. Truman CSG, the mid-COMPTUEX NATO scenario also served as an opportunity for the fleet staff to exercise the maritime headquarters staff in a challenging environment.
“This was an outstanding opportunity to command-and-control Allied forces, to assess our staff’s strengths and weaknesses as a maritime headquarters, and to continuously improve our effectiveness as a team,” said Perry. “The level of teamwork, experience, and knowledge to be a world-class team requires consistent training and assessment. I couldn’t be more proud of our team, the Truman CSG, Navy Warfare Development Command, and CSG-4 who all worked together on this valuable training to the force.”
The NATO training event built into this COMPTUEX schedule is the tenth of its kind delivered by CSG-4 for CSGs and Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) – Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) teams preparing to deploy since 2020.
“We train, mentor, and assess Naval forces to compete at an incredibly high-level,” said Rear Adm. Max McCoy, commander, Carrier Strike Group 4. “Our ability to integrate within the Joint force alongside Allies and partners is a powerful force multiplier that elevates naval task force capabilities.”
Additional examples of CSG-4 led Allied training events include a recent Fleet Synthetic Training event with the U.K. Strike Force, as well as the Italian Navy Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Carabiniere’s (F 593) participation in HSTCSG’s COMPTUEX.
“Working side-by-side with an Allied force is very motivating, especially with a U.S. carrier strike group – the highest expression of power projection in the world,” said Cmdr. Marco Felici, commanding officer, ITS Carabiniere (F 593). “We can learn a lot from the differences in our navies – various technologies, new approaches to known and upcoming problems, training differences that provide valuable insight.”
In recent years, Carabiniere operated in the Mediterranean with multiple U.S. Navy ships and strike groups.
“It is a privilege to work alongside our NATO Allies and partners,” said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander, Carrier Strike Group 8, HSTCSG. “The integration of these maritime countries represents another chance to hone and enhance our skills as mariners and warfighters within the NATO Alliance.”
The NATO scenario was a display of advanced capabilities in the maritime domain and the NATO Alliance’s role as a deterrent against adversaries to prevent escalation – and defend the Alliance if necessary. In recent years, U.S. CSG’s and ARG-MEU teams participated in a multitude of NATO-led vigilance activities such as Steadfast Defender and Neptune Strikes which underscores the importance of maritime statecraft in Secretary of the Navy Carlos del Toro’s priorities.
“And as we engage with nations around the world, we focus on communicating three things – that we value their partnership, we will support them in addressing their challenges, and that we will be a trusted, dependable, and durable partner,” said del Toro in a speech at Harvard University’s Kennedy School. “This type of soft power is truly our competitive advantage.”
Units participating in the NATO scenario within COMPTUEX were CSG-8, Harry S. Truman CSG, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28, and the Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), and USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79).
Carrier Strike Group 4’s mission is to train, mentor, and assess carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups, and independent deployers for global combat against peer competitors. You can find them on LinkedIn, Twitter (@CSG_4), and DVIDS.