page_title: Carrier Strike Group 3
section_title: 2009 deployment
hierarchical_section_title: Carrier Strike Group 3 / Operational history / 2009 deployment
caption_attribution_description: English: PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2009) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Eightballers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8, front, and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the "Raptors" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71 land aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis and Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW) 9 are on a scheduled six-month deployment to the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Josue L. Escobosa/Released)
context_page_description: Carrier Strike Group 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 USS Abraham Lincoln is the group's current flagship. Other units assigned include Carrier Air Wing Nine; the Ticonderoga-class cruisers USS Mobile Bay and USS Antietam; and the ships of Destroyer Squadron 21.
  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.
context_section_description: John C. Stennis departed Bremerton on 13 January 2009, and the group departed Naval Air Station North Island on 17 January 2009 after embarking Carrier Air Wing Nine. Carrier Air Wing Nine flew more than 7250 sorties, consisting of approximately 12,747 flight hours with a sortie completion rate of 97 percent during its 2009 deployment.
  Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71), a new component to Carrier Air Wing Nine, was the first squadron of its kind to embark on board a carrier as part of a carrier air wing  (pictured). The squadron flew more than 4,690 hours with a 95 percent sortie completion rate and earned the right to fly the Enlisted Aviation Warfare Pennant.  The highlight for the squadron occurred during the undersea warfare exercise when HSM-71 deployed multiple aircraft to practice engagements on U.S. and Japanese submarines.  The squadron kept three helicopters aloft throughout the entire four-day exercise for a total of 222 flight hours and conducted 28 simulated attacks on two U.S. and two Japanese submarines.
  The strike group participated in Exercise Key Resolve/Foal Eagle which began on 28 February 2009. Key Resolve/Foal Eagle was held in the aftermath of the sinking of the ROK corvette Cheonan and the shelling of Yeonpyeong Island by North Korea. During the exercise, the aircraft carrier Stennis was overflown by two Russian Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft on 16 March and two Tupolev Tu-95 long-range bombers on 17 March.  Both time the Russian aircraft were intercepted and escorted by F/A-18 Hornets until the Russian aircraft left the exercise area.
  The strike group then split. Both Kidd and Preble returned to port on 16 June 2009. John C. Stennis and Antietam sailed north to the Gulf of Alaska to participate in Operation Northern Edge, held between 15–26 June 2009. Stennis returned to port on 10 July 2009.
  2009 deployment force composition
  2009 deployment exercises and port visits
caption: MH-60S Knight Hawk from HSC-8
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