EVERETT, Wash. – Two Everett homeported ships, guided missile destroyers USS Kidd (DDG 100) and USS Shoup (DDG 86), departed this morning on a regularly scheduled deployment with USS Nimitz (CVN 68), departing today from Naval Base Kitsap, Bremerton.
The ships will operate under Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 11, of which Nimitz is the flagship. Kidd and Shoup will make a brief stop in San Diego, Calif. to meet up with other ships and units of CSG 11.
During the past seven months, CSG 11 units have been participating in a series of pre-deployment inspections and training evolutions. CSG 11 last deployed in 2013. Since then, Nimitz hosted the first aircraft carrier landings of the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in 2014 and completed a 20-month extended planned incremental availability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, which completed in October 2016.
Units embarked aboard Nimitz for deployment will be CSG 11 staff, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 9.
In addition to Kidd and Shoup, other ships deploying with CSG 11 include USS Howard (DDG 83), USS Pinckney (DDG 91), and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) based in San Diego.
The following Carrier Air Wing 11 squadrons will also be embarked: the Whidbey Island “Gray Wolves” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, the Lemoore “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, “Black Knights” of VFA 154, “Blue Diamonds” of VFA 146, the San Diego “Death Rattlers” of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323, the Point Mugu “Blue Tails” of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, the San Diego “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8, “Wolfpack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75, and “Providers” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 30.
The Nimitz Strike Group is part of the U.S. 3rd Fleet, which leads naval forces in the Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy. U.S. 3rd Fleet constantly coordinates with U.S. 7th Fleet to plan and execute missions based on their complementary strengths to promote ongoing peace, security, and stability throughout the entire Pacific theater of operations.
For more news from Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, visit www.facebook.com/ThirdFleet, or www.navy.mil/local/C3f/.
For more news from Nimitz Strike Group, visit www.nimitz.navy.mil/.
For information about Naval Station Everett homeported ships, contact the public affairs office at (425) 304-3202.
Homeport Northwest 