2008 Deployment
Carrier Strike Group Eleven departed from San Diego on 24 January 2008. It was announced that the group would operate in the Western Pacific while the forward-based USS Kitty Hawk of Carrier Strike Group Eight underwent scheduled maintenance in Yokosuka, Japan. The strike group entered the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of responsibility on 8 February 2008. On 9 February 2008, two Russian Tu-95 'Bear' bombers were detected by the strike group in the Western Pacific. Four F/A-18C Hornets intercepted the bombers 50 miles (80 km) south of Nimitz. Two F/A-18s trailed one of the bombers, which buzzed the deck of the carrier twice, while the other two F/A-18s trailed another Tu-95 circling about 50 miles (80 km) away from the carrier. Reportedly, there was no radio communication between the American and Russian aircraft. According to the Department of Defense, one of the two aircraft was said to have flown above Nimitz at an altitude of 2,000 feet (610 m). The strike group returned to San Diego on 2 June 2008.
- 2008 deployment force composition
| CARSTRKGRU 11 Warships | Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) squadrons embarked aboard flagship USS Nimitz (CVN-68) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Princeton (CG-59) | Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232): 10 F/A-18C(N) | Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6 (HS-6): 3 HH-60S and 4 SH-60S | |
| USS Pinckney (DDG-91) | Strike Fighter Squadron 81 (VFA-81): 10 F/A-18C(N) | Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det. 3: 2 C-2A | |
| USS Chafee (DDG-90) | Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41): 12 F/A-18F | Anti-Submarine Squadron Light 49 (HLS-49) detachments (2) | |
| USS Higgins (DDG-76) | Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14): 12 F/A-18E | —— | |
| USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) | Tactical Electronics Warfare Squadron 135 (VAQ-135): 4 EA-6B | —— | |
| EOD Unit 11, Det. 15 | Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117 (VAW-117): 4 E-2C 2000 NP | —— | |
- 2008 deployment exercises and port visits
| Number | Regional Exercises | Port Visits | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | U.S. Force | American/Bilateral/Multilateral Partner(s) | Operating Area | Location | Dates | ||
| 1st: | —— | Carrier Strike Group 11 | —— | —— | Sasebo, Japan | 11 Feb. 2008 | |
| 2nd: | —— | Nimitz, Princeton, John Paul Jones | —— | —— | Busan, South Korea | 28 Feb. 2008 | |
| 3rd: | —— | Chaffee | —— | —— | Donghae, South Korea | 28 Feb. 2008 | |
| 4th: | —— | Higgins | —— | —— | Pohang, South Korea | 28 Feb. 2008 | |
| 5th: | 2–13 March 2008 | Carrier Strike Group 11 | Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2008: Republic of Korea Armed Forces | Western Pacific | —— | —— | |
| 6th: | 14–16 Mar. 2008 | Carrier Strike Group 11 | Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) exercise: Task Force 76 (Essex) | Western Pacific | —— | —— | |
| 7th: | 29 Mar. 2008 | Carrier Strike Group 11 | Joint air operations: Kitty Hawk and Carrier Strike Group Five | Western Pacific | Hong Kong | 4-6 Apr. 2008 | |
| 8th: | —— | Carrier Strike Group 11 | —— | —— | Apra Harbor, Guam | 17-20 Apr. 2008 | |
Read more about this topic: Carrier Strike Group Eleven, Operational History