U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers on the Move – Theodore Roosevelt Back Home, Harry S. Truman in The North Sea: On one side of the world, a United States Navy Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier returned to her home port after a nine-month deployment while her sister ship transited into the North Sea to conduct operations with NATO allies and regional partners.

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) arrived in San Diego on Tuesday, following a deployment to the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. During the nine months spent at sea, the carrier named for the 26th president of the United States, conducted operations "in the U.S. 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation as part of a routine deployment in support of global maritime security operations," the Navy announced.

The carrier was supported by a carrier strike group (CSG) that included the Destroy Squadron (DESRON) 23 and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, as well as the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70). Three of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers that were deployed to the Middle East – USS Russell (DDG 59), USS Halsey (DDG 97) and USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) – have also returned to their respective homeports. A fourth destroyer, USS John S. McCain (DDG-56) saw her deployment extended and the warship is currently in the 7th Fleet area of operations, along with CG-70, to support the sea service's global maritime security mission.

During the deployment, the Theodore Roosevelt CSG launched more than 9,000 aerial sorties that totaled 21,000 flight hours, while it also saw 28 replenishments at sea. In total, the warships traveled 71,000 nautical miles. That included port visits to Bahrain, Diego Garcia, Guam, Singapore, South Korea, and Thailand.

CVN-71's deployment to the Middle East was extended twice before the warship departed the region in September.

"The crew worked incredibly hard and maintained mission focus this entire deployment," said Capt. Brian Schrum, commanding officer of USS Theodore Roosevelt.

"I am extremely proud of our Sailors and the work accomplished across the world’s oceans to keep our nation safe at home."

This was the first deployment for the Nimitz-class carrier following the 18-month-long maintenance period that saw the warship's systems upgraded and the flight deck retrofitted to allow the operation of additional aircraft. During the refit, USS Theodore Roosevelt's living quarters and lavatories were also updated.

Meanwhile, in the North Sea

As CVN-71 returned to port, "The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) transited through the Strait of Dover for the North Sea," the U.S. Navy also announced. "The strike group will conduct operations in the North Sea with Allies and partners from several countries in the region, demonstrating the warfighting interoperability and strategic relationships built over the past eighty years."

It is the first time USS.Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) operated in the region since 2018.

"We will operate with our NATO Allies and partners to strengthen our collective readiness, defense, and deterrence. No nation can confront today’s challenges alone, and we look forward to showcasing our interoperability," said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of the HSTCSG.

According to the U.S. Navy, HSTCSG "consists of the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 with nine embarked aviation squadrons; staffs from CSG-8, CVW-1, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109)."

CVN-75 was originally slated to replace CVN-71 in the Middle East to allow the U.S. to maintain two carriers in the region. USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) continues to operate in the Arabian Sea to deter aggression from Iran, while the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD-1), her amphibious ready group, and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit are now positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean. The group has remained ready to carry out non-combat evacuations of U.S. personnel should that be required.

USS Harry S. Truman was last deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean in early December as part of the Department of Defense's (DoD's) response to the then-anticipated Russian invasion of Ukraine. CVN-75 remained in the region until September 2022, spending 285 days deployed.

It is still possible after operating in the North Sea, USS Harry S. Truman could head to the Middle East. Its crew certainly knows how to get there.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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