Bush CSG ops moves south due to bad weather in the Mid Atlantic

According to two reliable sources, the USS George H.W. Bush CSG has now moved south out of the Vacapes Oparea to to the Jax Opareas to continue their COMPTUEX training matrix. More than likely they got the wing carrier quals (CQ) for the wing completed and maybe some of the Phase 1 wing training which includes ADEX 1/2, CAS 1/2, and Strike Day 1, and some or all of their TSTA III and the FEP training matrix. We should be approaching port visits and then Phase 2 of their training soon.

Mike in central FLA reported the activity below yesterday that indicates that the CSG is indeed moving south into the Jax Opareas, a day or two earlier than was orignally expected.

120.950 SEALORD North BOLT 01 passing range/bearing off MOTHER
121.625 Cecil Field Ground Unid checking ceiling, overcast 200'
238.975 Weak comms
240.275 DART 11, DART 12
267.500 SEALORD South HORNET 5, HORNET 6 RTB Cecil Field, PRO 19 PRO 82 BUZZARD 25
EMPIRE 31
278.050 Unid, 31-32 air-air
293.175 Unid, "080 for 30"
336.125 INVADER 52
342.325 Unid, up SEALORD, direct Taylor

HF Freqs
UTC FREQ
1713 9028.0 USS George H Bush ROMEO calling GOLF FOXTROT

More than likely the 4703 kHz Air Defense activity over the last few days that I have been reporting on my twitter feed (MilcomMP) is probably an OPFOR (Orange Force) net with Juliet Whiskey as the NCS that will now be working with, uh against the Bush CSG Blue forces.

The USS George HW Bush CSG consist of the USS George H.W. Bush, USS Mitscher (DDG 57), USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Anzio (CG 68), the squadrons of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, and the Spanish frigate ESPS Almirante Juan de Borbon (F 102).

CVW-8 (AJ) Squadrons include:

VFA-31 Tomcatters F/A-18E Super Hornet NAS Oceana (Callsign Felix/Rhino) Modex 100
VFA-213 Black Lions F/A-18F Super Hornets NAS Oceana (Callsign Lion/Black Lion) Modex 200
VFA-15 Valions F/A-18 NAS Oceana(Callsign Pride/Active) Modex 300
VFA-87 Golden Warriors F/A-18 Hornet NAS Oceana (Callsign Party/War Party) Modex 400
VAQ-141 Shadowhawks EA-18G Growler NAS Whidbey Island (Callsign Outlaw) Modex 500
VAW-124 Bear Aces E-2C Hawkeye NAS Norfolk (Callsign Bear) Modex from 600
HSC-9 Tridents MH-60S Knighhawk NAS Norfolk (Callsign Trident) Modex from 610
HSM-70 Spartans MH-60R Seahawk NAS Jacksonville (Callsign Spartan) Modex from 710
VRC-40 Det 5 Rawhides C-2A Greyhound NAS Norfolk (Callsign Rawhide/COD)

Previous reported CVW-8/Bush frequencies from the Bush TSTA ops in October 2010
Confirmed CWC call prefix is GOLF.

9031.0 USB GOLF WHISKEY, PAPA, MIKE, SIERRA, GOLF, DELTA, OSCAR

229.425 BEAR
234.950 PARTY Tac
237.225 GOLF ROMEO / BEAR 600
264.625 Avon Park N Tac Range
267.500 SEALORD South
276.600 Avon Park Range
278.125 LION Tac
278.250 STRIKE
279.275 AIC / BEAR / RAGE 11-12
281.325 Tac
288.525
289.200 Pinecastle Range Ops
289.425 AIC / BEAR / SWEEP
292.200 Avon Park Range Ops
298.550 Tac
311.650 Link-4A
328.525 MARSHAL
339.700 Jax NAS W-158 Discrete
348.125 BEAR
348.350 OUTLAW Tac?
355.050 Overhead AR? 106, 201, 210, 211
355.625 PRIDE Tac
360.525 AR boom
363.625 Button 5? BEAR
364.225 RAGE 11-12 / 401 / PARTY 10
367.550 Tac
370.975 RED CROWN
374.000 REP?

2008 CVW-8 Squadron Tacticals on the Roosevelt.

245.725 FELIX Tac
269.825 FELIX Tac
277.725 PRIDE Tac
303.400 PARTY Tac
309.700 LION Tac
311.600 PRIDE Tac
322.800 BEAR Tac
327.975 LION Tac
349.925 PRIDE Tac
364.225 PARTY Tac
378.000 OUTLAW Tac

Absolutely no guarantees that any of the freqs above will in use this time around, but at least you have a reference to start with.

So good hunting and I will report more on this blog as it is reported to us.

TR Prepares for Busy Underway

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class(SW/AW) Jeremy Freehling, USS Theodore Roosevelt Public Affairs



Blog Note: For my East Coast monitoring friends, heads up. The Big Stick and CVW-8 are on the way. Radios will be hot shortly.

USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Theodore Roosevelt (TR) (CVN 71) got underway March 17, in preparation for upcoming carrier qualifications and strike group drills. The underway schedule is filled with scenarios the ship needs to complete before being certified for the next deployment.

TR Sailors will be conducting general quarters and man overboard procedures along with daily flight operations. This underway will mark the first time since TR left Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) that cyclic air operations will be performed on the flight deck. The flight schedule will resemble those on deployment.

Pilots who have been completing their needed qualifications will now use a full flight schedule for the squadrons. This will benefit both squadron personnel and flight deck crew on what areas need to be improved upon in the future.

Seven squadrons that make up Carrier Air Wing 8 will also be completing the necessary qualifications needed by pilots in addition to the cyclic operations. These landings will help familiarize pilots with the proper carrier launch and recovery procedures.

"It is important that everyone is on the same page and that individuals get accustomed to working together," said Lt. Todd Anderson, Assistant Strike Operations officer.

Many Sailors on board were not on the last deployment, so this underway will help both airwing and ship's company get acquainted with the tasks that must be accomplished during deployment.

Also, for the first time since leaving NNSY, TR will be performing drills with the entire strike group. These drills consist of communication and ship movement techniques that will be evaluated.

"Improving communication within the strike group along with coordinating ship movement is a vital part of the at sea period," said Cmdr. Karl Hines, strike operations officer.

These scenarios are a major part of the certification process of the strike group. Throughout the underway period, a naval afloat training group (ATG) will be observing these drills, making sure they are properly completed.

"ATG will not only be making sure TR completes these tasks, but that they are done properly and in a safe manner," said Anderson.

The strike group exercises will involve air, sub and surface exercises. Many of these exercises will involve pilots firing at targets, the various ship weapons systems, along with .50-calibre shoots by Sailors.

"This underway is the first step for the TR strike group to be prepared for deployment," said Hines. "What we accomplish over the next few weeks will go a long way towards us completing our mission in the future."

Commanded by Capt. Ladd Wheeler, USS Theodore Roosevelt is the centerpiece of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (TRSCG). The TRSCG is preparing for a scheduled deployment later this year.