Carrier Strike Group 3 (CSG-3 or CARSTRKGRU 3) is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore. The aircraft carrier is the group's current flagship. Other units assigned as of 2024 include Carrier Air Wing Nine, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS O'Kane (DDG-77), USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG-121), and USS Spruance (DDG-111), which are part of Destroyer Squadron 21.Destroyer Squadron 21 consists of the s USS O’Kane, USS Frank E. Petersen Jr., and USS Spruance.
Between 2005 and 2013, the group made five deployments to the U.S. Fifth Fleet supporting U.S. ground forces in Iraq, and Afghanistan. On 18 December 2011, strike group aircraft flew the final carrier-based air mission over Iraq, effectively ending U.S. naval support for Operation New Dawn.
Historical background
Carrier Division Three The aircraft carrier was assigned to Carrier Division Three from November 1940. In April 1941, a Central Atlantic Neutrality Patrol was established under Admiral A.B. Cook, based at Bermuda. It comprised Carrier Division Three, the cruisers and , and Destroyer Squadron 11. On 7 December 1941, in the Atlantic Fleet, Carrier Division Three comprised Wasp and under Rear Admiral A.B. Cook. Commander Carrier Division Three served as Commander Task Force 77 during the Korean War. In 1966, Carrier Division Three was built around , flying missions in the Gulf of Tonkin off Vietnam.
Carrier Group Three On 30 June 1973, Carrier Division 3 was redesignated Carrier Group 3. U.S. Navy carrier battle groups have, since the mid-Cold War period, maintained a pattern of deployments to trouble spots, beginning with an overhaul, individual ship training, battle group training, group preparation exercise, and then the deployment. On returning home, the cycle begins once more. As part of these deployments, the Carl Vinson carrier battle group participated in Exercise RIMPAC '84, RIMPAC '86, RIMPAC '98, PACEX '89, Exercise Rugged Nautilus, Operation Southern Watch, Operation Desert Strike, Operation Desert Fox, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. From 1989 to 1991, USS Carl Vinson served as the flagship for Carrier Group 3. During this period, Carrier Group 3 was one of three battle groups that took part in PACEX '89.
In August 1990, Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet was deployed to Bahrain in order to serve as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (ComUSNAVCENT) following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Since ComUSNAVCENT operated from on board ship, he established NAVCENT-Riyadh as a staff organization to provide continuous Navy representation at United States Central Command headquarters.Conduct of the Persian Gulf War, Final Report to Congress, pg 553 start This mission was assigned initially to Commander, Carrier Group Three. During succeeding months, the NAVCENT-Riyadh staff was augmented substantially but remained small, relative to the United States Army Central and CENTAF staffs. In November, the NAVCENT-Riyadh command was transferred from COMCARGRU 3 to Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5. This change resulted in the Navy flag officer at NAVCENT Riyadh's remaining relatively junior to other Service representatives, particularly the Air Force.
In the middle of 1992, the U.S. Navy made some organizational changes. Each of the Navy's twelve carrier battle groups was planned to consist of an aircraft carrier; an embarked carrier air wing; cruiser, destroyer, and frigate units; and two nuclear-powered attack submarines. The chart below shows the ships and aircraft of the group after the reorganization.
Carrier Group Three, late 1992 Guided-Missile Cruisers Destroyer Squadron 21 Carrier Air Wing 11 squadrons embarked aboard Fighter Squadron 213: F-14A Airborne Early Warning Squadron 117: E-2C Fighter Squadron 114: F-14A Sea Control Squadron 29: S-3B Strike Fighter Squadron 94: F/A-18C Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6: SH-60F, HH-60H Strike Fighter Squadron 22: F/A-18C —— Attack Squadron 95: A-6E, KA-6D —— —— Electronic Warfare Squadron 135: EA-6B ——
From June 1993, Commander Carrier Group 3 had his flag aboard Abraham Lincoln. In 1993, the battle group provided support to the multinational military forces assigned to Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, and the group subsequently made three Western Pacific/Persian Gulf deployments for Operation Southern Watch and Operation Vigilant Sentinel. On 13 May 1997 Carrier Air Wing Eleven was reassigned to Commander, Carrier Group 3 and the USS Carl Vinson.
Carrier Group 3 formed the core of the naval power during the initial phase of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2001. At the time the group comprised , Destroyer Squadron 9 and Carrier Air Wing Eleven. Commander, Carrier Group 3, Rear Admiral Thomas E. Zelibor, arrived in the Arabian Sea on 12 September 2001 and was subsequently designated Commander Task Force 50 (CTF 50), commanding multiple carrier task groups and coalition forces. The Task Force conducted strikes against Al Quida and Taliban forces in Afghanistan. Task Force 50 comprised over 59 ships from six nations including six aircraft carriers, stretching over 800 nautical miles.
Rear Admiral Evan M. Chanik was the last commander of Carrier Group 3. During his tenure, Admiral Chanik led the group through a reorganized Inter-Deployment Training Cycle which greatly compressed the training required for overseas deployment. On 1 October 2004, Carrier Group Three was redesignated as Carrier Strike Group Three.
Command structure The strike group commander is responsible for unit-level training, integrated training, and material readiness for the group's ships and aviation squadrons. When it is not deployed, the group reports to Commander, U.S. Third Fleet which directs the group's pre-deployment training and certifications including its Composite Training Unit Exercises. When deployed beyond U.S. coastal waters, the group comes under the command of the numbered fleet commander in the area in which it is operating – either Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, or Seventh Fleets. When deployed in this fashion, the group utilizes a task force or task group designator, for example, Task Group 50.1 in the Fifth Fleet area.
Group commanders since 2004 have included: • Rear Admiral Bruce W. Clingan (June 2004 – September 2005) • Captain Scott A. Berg (September 2005 – November 2005) • Rear Admiral Kevin M. Quinn (November 2005 – September 2007) • Rear Admiral M. Stewart O'Bryan (September 2007 – September 2008) • Rear Admiral Mark A. Vance (September 2008 – September 2009) • Rear Admiral Joseph P. Aucoin (September 2009 – May 2011) • Rear Admiral Craig S. Faller (May 2011 – April 2012) • Rear Admiral Charles M. Gaouette (April 2012 – October 2012) • Rear Admiral Troy M. "Mike" Shoemaker (October 2012 – May 2013) • Captain William C. Minter (May 2013 – September 2014) • Rear Admiral Michael E. Smith (September 2014 – September 2015) • Rear Admiral Ronald A. Boxall (October 2015 – April 2016) • Rear Admiral Marcus A. Hitchcock (April 2016 – August 2017) • Rear Admiral Michael A. Wettlaufer (August 2017 – June 2019) • Rear Admiral Fred I. Pyle (June 2019 – April 2020) • Rear Admiral James A. Aiken (April 2020 – August 2021) • Rear Admiral Jeffrey T. Anderson (August 2021 – September 2022) • Rear Admiral Kevin P. Lenox (September 2022 – May 2024) • Rear Admiral Adan G. Cruz (May 2024 – April 2025) • Rear Admiral Todd E. Whalen (April 2025 – Present)
Operational history
2005 deployment On 17 January 2005, Carl Vinson departed Bremerton, Washington, with Carrier Air Wing Nine embarked for a six-month deployment, which included several months in the Persian Gulf supporting U.S. forces fighting the War in Iraq. On 30 January 2005, the group departed San Diego following the completion of its 22-day pre-deployment Joint Task Force Exercise.
In total, the group launched more than 6,500 sorties, totaling more than 20,000 flight hours, in support of Multi-National Force - Iraq troops and various maritime interdiction operations, including 2,600 flight hours logged by its four F/A-18 strike-fighter squadrons. Destroyer Squadron 31 conducted more than 80 boardings in conjunction with British, Italian, Australian, Canadian and regional forces.
On 11 June 2005, rendered assistance in response to a distress call from the Iranian fishing dhow Henif. A boat transported an ill Iranian fisherman to Mustin, where he was subsequently transferred to Vinson by helicopter. Once aboard Vinson, the fisherman was taken to the ship's infirmary where he underwent tests. The fisherman was apparently suffering from a severe allergic reaction. He was treated, and after a short recovery period, he was returned to the Henif via one of the carrier's boats.
The group completed its 2005 deployment at Naval Station Norfolk on 31 July 2005. Vinson then began a scheduled 36-month Refueling and Complex Overhaul, prior to becoming flagship for Carrier Strike Group One. The new group flagship, , changed its homeport to Bremerton in January 2005, and once there, underwent an 11-month overhaul.; ; and Reflecting the reduced responsibilities while the ships were undergoing overhauls, Rear Admiral Clingan was succeeded by Captain Scott A. Berg in September 2005 as carrier strike group commander. Rear Admiral Kevin M. Quinn subsequently relieved Captain Berg in November 2005. 2005 deployment force composition; ; and CARSTRKGRU 3 Warships/Units Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) squadrons embarked aboard flagship Marine Fighter Squadron 323 (VMFA-323): FA-18C(N) Hornet Sea Control Squadron 33 (VS-33): S-3B Viking Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154): F/A-18F Super Hornet Helicopter Squadron 8 (HS-8): HH-60H/SH-60F Seahawk Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147): FA-18C(N) Hornet Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40), Det. 4: C-2A Greyhound Strike Fighter Squadron 146 (VFA-146): FA-18C Hornet —— Electronic Attack Squadron 138 (VAQ-138): EA-6B Prowler —— EOD Mobile Unit 11, Detach. 9 Carrier Airborne Early Warning 112 (VAW-112): E-2C Hawkeye ——
2007 deployment
Stennis departed from its homeport in Bremerton, Washington, on 16 January 2007, spent one day in port on-loading Carrier Air Wing Nine onto the carrier, and the strike group departed San Diego on 20 January 2006 for its 2007 deployment.
During its 2007 deployment, Carrier Air Wing Nine flew more than 7,900 sorties providing more than 22,000 flight hours and dropping nearly 90,000 pounds of ordnance in support of the International Security Assistance Force operating on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq. The guided-missile destroyers and were primarily responsible for carrying out Maritime Security Operations, Maritime Interdiction Operations, and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure operations for the strike group during the deployment.
On 23 May 2007, Stennis, along with eight other warships including the aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship , passed through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf (pictured). US Navy officials said it was the largest such move of warships since 2003. The group subsequently participated in Expeditionary Strike Force (ESF) training while simultaneously providing close-air support to coalition ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. The ESF training brought together Carrier Strike Group 3, Carrier Strike Group 11 led by Nimitz, and Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group to test their ability to plan and conduct multi-task force operations across a broad spectrum of naval disciplines.