By Alfred Acenas
EBC Hawaii Bureau
HONOLULU (Eagle News) – Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) are simulating being at sea while moored at Naval Base Guam. During the simulation, also known as “fast cruise,” the crew will simulate normal underway conditions while testing the critical systems required to sustain the ship during its upcoming underway operations.
“Fast cruise is a major milestone for the ship and for the crew,” said Captain Carlos Sardiello, the ship’s commanding officer. “Our Sailors have tested all of the ship’s systems individually, but this is our opportunity to integrate all of that together and show that Theodore Roosevelt is ready and able to go back to sea.”
The ship has been conducting a crew swap since April 29, rotating Sailors back on board who have completed quarantine and isolation and have received two negative tests for the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Following the recent Navy announcement that more than 2,900 Sailors have returned, the ship is one step closer to recommencing its scheduled deployment to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean (Indo-Pacific) regions.
“We passed a rigorous certification process before deployment, validating the crew’s ability to safely navigate, launch and recover aircraft and respond to on-board emergencies,” said Lieutenant Commander DeCrisha Nolan, the ship’s training officer. “We are applying that same standard to fast cruise to ensure that we can complete any mission the Navy asks of us.”
In addition to testing the ship’s systems, the Theodore Roosevelt’s crew will also be implementing new measures to protect the crew from possible exposure to COVID-19. The crew spent the past month and a half adjusting to their normal work routine while wearing masks and maintaining social distance.
Following a successful fast cruise, the ship will commence underway training and carrier qualifications to support the air wing’s return to operational readiness. During the underway, the ship will leave Sailors ashore that are not required for these evolutions. This will enable the ship to conduct training at sea while personnel left in Guam can support the recovery of the rest of the crew who remain in quarantine or isolation. During this transition, the ship will enforce strict cleaning protocols and maintain social distancing as part of the phased approach to returning the ship to operations.
“Safely navigating an aircraft carrier is a complex process that involves teams of Sailors throughout the ship,” said Commander Christopher Brown, the Theodore Roosevelt’s navigation officer. “We are setting the normal underway watches and running through various navigation scenarios so that the bridge watch teams can learn how to effectively communicate with one another while still protecting themselves and each other.”
After safely completing fast cruise, the aircraft carrier and its crew will be one step closer to going to sea to conduct carrier qualification flights for Carrier Air Wing 11. The remainder of the crew will return to the ship following the air wing integration.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is the Navy’s fourth Nimitz-class aircraft carrier with a crew of nearly 5,000 Sailors who support and conduct air operations at sea. The vessel departed San Diego, California for a scheduled Indo-Pacific deployment January 17 and has been in Guam preparing to return to sea.
(Eagle News Service)