US Nimitz Carrier Strike Group began operating in South China Sea.

According to information published by the US DoD on January 13, 2023, the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (NIMCSG) began operating in the South China Sea for the first time during the group’s 2022-2023 deployment.
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US Navy's Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in 2017. (Picture source: US DoD)

While in the South China Sea, the strike group is conducting maritime strike training, anti-submarine operations, integrated multi-domain and joint training between surface and air elements, and flight operations with fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Carrier operations in the South China Sea are part of the U.S. Navy’s routine operations in the Indo-Pacific.

The CSG 11 staff is embarked on the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Decatur (DDG 73), USS Chung Hoon (DDG 93), USS Wayne E Meyer (DDG 108), the squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW 17), and the staffs of Destroyer Squadron Nine (DESRON 9) are attached to the strike group and provide unparalleled firepower across all domains – air, sea, and land.

The squadrons that make up CVW 17 are the “Fighting Redcocks” of Strike Fighter Squadron 22 (VFA 22), “Mighty Shrikes” of Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA 94), “Kestrels” of Strike Fighter Squadron 137 (VFA 137), “Blue Diamonds” of Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA 146), “Cougars” of Electronic Attack Squadron 139 (VAQ 139), “Sun Kings” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 116 (VAW 116), “Battlecats” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 73 (HSM 73) and the “Screamin’ Indians” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 6 (HSC 6).

About the USS Nimitz

The USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier, which is the lead ship of the Nimitz-class of aircraft carriers. It was commissioned in 1975 and is currently in active service.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers are the largest warships in the world, and are considered to be among the most advanced and capable aircraft carriers in the world.

The USS Nimitz is equipped with a wide range of weapons systems and sensors, including the AEGIS combat system, which is used for air and missile defense. It also has the capability to carry a large number of aircraft, including F/A-18 Hornet and F-35C Lightning II fighter jets, as well as E-2 Hawkeye early warning aircraft and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

It is also equipped with a nuclear propulsion system which allows it to operate for long periods of time without the need to refuel, giving it a considerable operational range.