page_title: Carrier Strike Group Seven 2004–06 operations
section_title: 2006 deployment
hierarchical_section_title: Carrier Strike Group Seven 2004–06 operations / 2006 deployment
caption_attribution_description: English: Persian Gulf – The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, French nuclear powered surface vessel FS Charles De Gaulle, Cassard-class destroyer FS Cassard, guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg, and the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell conduct joint operations in the Persian Gulf during a passing exercise (PASSEX). The U.S. and France are part of the coalition effort currently conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region. Français&#160;: Golfe Persique (27 avril 2006) – L'USS Ronald Reagan, le porte-avions Charles De Gaulle, la frégate anti-aérienne FS Cassard, le croiseur USS Vicksburg et le destroyer USS McCampbell participent à des opérations navales dans le golfe Persique, dans le cadre du programme PASSEX. Deutsch: Persischer Golf (27 April 2006) – Die USS Ronald Reagan, der Flugzeugträger Charles De Gaulle, die Fregatte FS Cassard, der Kreuzer USS Vicksburg und der Zerstörer USS McCampbell sind See-Arbeitsgangen teilnehmen. PASSEX Programm.
context_page_description: Carrier Strike Group Seven 2004–2006 operations included one deployments to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and its embarked carrier air wing flew approximately 2940 air sorties in support of ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan while CARSTRKGRU-7 surface warships supported theater security and maritime interdiction operation within that fleet's area of responsibility. It also participated in Valiant Shield 2006, a major joint military exercise of the U.S. Pacific Command. Finally, Carrier Strike Group Seven provided humanitarian assistance after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Prior to being re-designated as Carrier Strike Group Seven on 1 October 2004, Carrier Group Seven and its John C. Stennis Carrier Battle Group participated in three different exercises during Summer Pulse 2004, a multi-carrier surge deployment to test the U.S. Navy's then-new Fleet Response Plan.
  Carrier Strike Group Seven was based at Naval Air Station North Island, California.
  John C. Stennis was initially the group's flagship, but USS Ronald Reagan relieved her in 2005.
context_section_description: On 4 January 2006, Carrier Strike Group Seven departed San Diego for its Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment under the command of Rear Admiral Michael H. Miller. This was the first overseas deployment for the strike group's flagship, the nuclear carrier Ronald Reagan. Off Hawaii, Carrier Strike Group completed a four-day Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) exercise on 12 January 2006. The purpose of this exercise was to test the anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the strike group in real-world scenarios. During the exercise, an improved surface ship sonar system that was installed in both of the destroyers attached to Carrier Strike Group Seven was used for the first time.
  Carrier Strike Group Seven entered the U.S. Fifth Fleet's area of responsibility (AOR) on 18 February 2006, and fleet commander Vice Admiral Patrick M. Walsh visited the strike group's flagship, the carrier Reagan, on 27 February 2006.
  On 22 February 2006, F/A-18E Super Hornets (pictured) assigned to Strike Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VFA-115) became the first aircraft launched from the flight deck of USS Ronald Reagan to drop ordnance on enemy targets in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Carrier Air Wing Fourteen squadrons VFA-22, VFA-25, VFA-113, and VFA-115 were the first to deploy with F/A-18 Hornet strike fighters equipped with the Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) system that allows ground forces, such as Joint terminal attack controllers (JTAC), to see what an aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seeing in real time by receiving images acquired by the aircraft's sensors on a laptop on the ground via video transfer with little time delay. ROVER greatly improves the JTAC on the ground reconnaissance and target identification which are essential to close air support.
  On 3 April 2006, the guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain joined Combined Task Force 58 (CTF-58), a multi-national force responsible for maritime security operations (MSO) in the Northern Persian Gulf. Additionally, CTF-58 also played a key role in protecting both the Al Basrah Oil Terminal (ABOT) and the Khor Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT). Also, the guided-missile destroyer Decatur conducted maritime security operations with the Pakistani-led Combined Task Force 150 off the coast of the Horn of Africa.
  Carrier Strike Group Seven performed a passing exercise (PASSEX) with the French naval task force, led by the nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle on 27 April 2006 (pictured). The PASSEX included drills in communications, air defense and surface warfare tactics. Aircraft from the French aircraft carrier also made "touch-and-go" landings aboard the Reagan during the exercise. The strike group also participated in a PASSEX with the Indian Navy in February 2006. Beginning 15 May 2006, the guided-missile destroyer Decatur joined the French naval task force operating in the North Arabian Sea. On 29 April 2006, the guided-missile destroyer McCampbell, with the fleet ocean tugboat Catawba, participated in a proof-of-concept demonstration with Bahrainian emergency management teams. The demonstration included a simulated oil spill as well as the subsequent containment-and-recovery operation outside the port of Mina Salman.
  Carrier Strike Group Seven completed operations with the Fifth Fleet on 29 May 2006. During its deployment with the Fifth Fleet, Carrier Strike Group Seven launched more than 6,100 sorties, totaling more than 19,600 flight hours, with more than 2,940 sorties and 14,200 flight hours in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
caption: Ronald Reagan and Charles de Gaulle (27 April 2006)
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "060427-N-5961C-009\rPersian Gulf (April 27, 2006) - The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), French nuclear powered surface vessel FS Charles Degall (R-92), Cassard-class destroyer FS Cassard (D-614), guided missile cruiser USS Vicksburg (CG 69), and the guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85) conduct joint operations in the Persian Gulf during a passing exercise (PASSEX). The U.S. and France are part of the coalition effort currently conducting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region. U.S. Navy photo by Chief Photographer's Mate Spike Call (RELEASED)", "Image Make": "NIKON CORPORATION", "Image Model": "NIKON D1X", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0", "Image DateTime": "2009:04:11 15:42:46", "Image Artist": "PHC Spike Call", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "876", "GPS GPSVersionID": "[2, 2, 0, 0]", "Image GPSInfo": "1480", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "1594", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "2418", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/800", "EXIF FNumber": "11", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Manual", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2006:04:27 21:24:19", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2006:04:27 21:24:19", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Spot", "EXIF LightSource": "Shade", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire", "EXIF FocalLength": "17", "EXIF SubSecTime": "13", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "13", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "13", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2100", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1052", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CVAPattern": "[0, 2, 0, 2, 2, 1, 1, 0]", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Manual Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Manual", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "25", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "Low gain up", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0"}