U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) is currently carrying out carrier qualifications and has recently welcomed aboard Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17, in preparation to begin the ship’s work-up cycle.
January 17 was the first time aircraft have landed aboard Theodore Roosevelt in almost a year.
CVW-17 was previously embarked aboard Theodore Roosevelt in early 2016 before the ship entered its planned incremental availability.
“The relationship between the TR and CVW-17 was as smooth as I’ve ever experienced between an air wing and ship’s crew, and I’m very optimistic this will continue,” said Cmdr. Christopher Jason , Theodore Roosevelt’s air boss. “We’re both very professional groups, and despite having new personnel, we have the same core of leadership to ensure success during this critical underway period. We’re heading right into work-ups, so this gives us a chance to recalibrate and refresh ourselves on how to conduct flight operations.”
Preparations to bring CVW-17 aboard started immediately after the air wing disembarked March 2016. Theodore Roosevelt has undergone an extensive amount of upgrades and maintenance, with the ultimate goal of returning to sea to conduct flight operations.
“There are key roles from every single department to prepare for the air wing coming aboard,” said “It’s challenging to be fully prepared for the additional people, but with the TR spirit it makes the transition easy.”
More than 180 pallets of Theodore Roosevelt’s cargo, including food, storeroom parts, ship’s store items, and other resources along with 175 pallets of CVW-17’s cargo were on-loaded to accommodate new personnel living aboard, said Lt. Cmdr. Anthony K. Tobias, Theodore Roosevelt’s principal assistant for logistics.
Theodore Roosevelt becoming fully operational gives many of the “Big Stick’s” sailors their first look at flight operations, and many CVW-17 sailors and marines their first experience living aboard a ship.