The Navy released a dramatic photo Saturday of the USS Theodore Roosevelt‘s departure from San Diego on Friday, showing the nuclear-powered carrier passing North Island with the skyline and mountains in the background.
More than 6,000 sailors assigned to the ships of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group will provide maritime security, maintain freedom of the seas, and operate with international partners and allies to promote stability and prosperity during the deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.
“The U.S. Navy carrier strike group serves as the centerpiece of deterrence, providing our national command authority with flexible deterrent options and a visible forward presence,” said Rear Adm. Stu Baker, commander of the strike group. “The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group trained hard, performed well, and is now ready to execute whatever missions we are assigned.”
The group consists of the Roosevelt, Carrier Air Wing 11, the Ticonderoga class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill, and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell, USS Paul Hamilton, USS Pinckney, USS Kidd and USS Rafael Peralta.
“I’m excited to lead this outstanding crew out on deployment,” said Capt. Brett Crozier, the carrier’s commanding officer. “Carrier strike groups bring unparalleled naval combat power to the fight. No other weapon system has the responsiveness, endurance, battlespace awareness, and command and control capabilities of a carrier and its embarked air wing.”
The group last deployed for seven months from October 2017 to May 2018 in support of Operations Inherent Resolve in the Middle East and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan.
