Carrier Air Wing Eleven Carrier Air Wing Eleven ( CVW - 11 ) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore , California . The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS " Nimitz " . Mission . To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning , control , coordination and integration of seven air wing squadrons in support of carrier air warfare including ; Interception and destruction of enemy aircraft and missiles in all - weather conditions to establish and maintain local air superiority . All - weather offensive air - to - surface attacks , Detection , localization , and destruction of enemy ships and submarines to establish and maintain local sea control . Aerial photographic , sighting , and electronic intelligence for naval and joint operations . Airborne early warning service to fleet forces and shore warning nets . Airborne electronic countermeasures . In - flight refueling operations to extend the range and the endurance of air wing aircraft and Search and rescue operations . Subordinate units . CVW - 11 consists of 9 Squadrons History . World War II . Carrier Air Wing Eleven was commissioned on Navy Day , 1942 as Carrier Air Group Eleven . CVW - 11 recorded a large number of “ firsts ” , establishing its place as the US Navy ’ s top fighting Air Wings . In June 1943 , pilots from CVW - 11 conducted the first daylight raids during the fighting in the Solomon Islands and New Georgia operations during World War II . CVW - 11 also participated in operations over Leyte Gulf , Indochina , Formosa Island ( Japanese occupied Taiwan ) and China . For these operations , CVW - 11 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation . Carrier Air Wing Eleven was previously known as Air Group eleven circa 1947 . Korean War . During the Korean War , CVW - 11 was the first Air Wing to shoot down MiG ’ s , and was instrumental in keeping the Pusan Perimeter from collapsing during the early stages of the war , and participated in various other significant operations such as the Inchon Invasion , the Wonsan landing and the highly successful movement from the Chosin Reservoir . Vietnam War and the 1970s . CAG - 11 deployed on board the [ USS Kitty Hawk ( CVA - 63 ) with the Seventh Fleet ) in October 1963 commanded by CDR Warren H . O ' Neil , USN . CAG 11 flew the first Offensive Missions against North Vietnam in the spring of 1964 , also experiencing the first losses of U . S Navy aircraft ; LT Charles Klusman was later rescued in August 1964 and returned to San Diego in September . In 1965 , CVW - 11 attached squadrons received new aircraft , such as the RA - 5C Vigilante , A - 6 Intruder and the E - 2 Hawkeye . With these new additions , between December 1965 and May 1966 , CVW - 11 conducted air strikes against targets during the Vietnam War and delivered more ordnance then any http : / / www . kwmckinney . com / contact _ office . htmlother air wing in the navy . In November 1966 , CVW - 11 and USS " Kitty Hawk " were awarded the Navy Unit Commendation for their actions during they deployment to the region . CVW - 11 deployed for a 1966 to 1967 cruise to Asia , which earned them another Navy Unit Commendation in August 1967 . The Kitty Hawk and CVW - 11 became the first battle group to be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for performance during the Vietnam War , the citation was approved during operations between December 1966 through June 1968 . CVW - 11 set numerous records for the Vietnam War , including a 61 - day line period , which was the longest for the war . Prior to the limited bombing announcement , CVW - 11 bombed targets in North Vietnam , striking enemy power plants , rail yards and lines of transports and communications . CVW - 11 ’ s sustained presence in the region was instrumental in the defense of Khe Sanh . CVW - 11 broke all records for combat sorties flown and ordnance dropped during its sixth WESTPAC deployment during November 1970 and July 1971 , although it was short lived as the air wing broke its own record during the following deployment in 1972 , as they were deployed due to the Communist offensive , where CVW - 11 deployed 107 aircraft under command of CAPT Doug McCrimmon , the largest Air Wing ever under the new Air Wing concept , which included tactical aircraft and anti - submarine aircraft on the same carrier . The 1972 - 1973 deployment was high lighted by an air power demonstration for the Shah of Iran and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff while deployed to the Indian Ocean . During the 1975 deployment , CVW - 11 and " Kitty Hawk " deployed for their first non - combat cruise in nine years , which followed with two more deployments in 1975 and 1977 . The 1977 cruise was the first with the F - 14 Tomcat , S - 3 Viking , the A - 6E version of the Intruder and the E - 2C version of the Hawkeye . The air wing made one last deployment of the decade in 1979 with the USS " America " ( CV - 66 ) . 1980s . In 1982 the Air Wing deployed once more on board the " America " before CVW - 11 switched carriers once again and deployed four times with USS " Enterprise " ( CVN - 65 ) between 1982 and 1990 . With highlights such as the deployment to the Northern Pacific during FLEETEX ‘ 84 , a three - carrier operation , and the 1986 cruise saw the Air Wing deploy to the Indian Ocean , where F - 14s often intercepted Soviet and Indian aircraft . Due to operations against Libya in the spring of 1986 , it was decided that the battle group would head for the Mediterranean Sea and the “ Line of Death ” , where CVW - 11 aircraft would fly patrols for two months , although encounters with Libyan jets were rare . The carrier group got to visit Naples and Toulon , and instead of returning through the Suez Canal which they had used to transit to the Mediterranean , USS " Enterprise " transited through the Strait of Gibraltar and cruised the southern cape of Africa before venturing across the Indian Ocean and the Pacific back home . The 1988 cruise saw action in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Praying Mantis where CVW - 11 conducted strikes against Iranian naval vessels and oil platforms . CVW - 11 repelled a Boghammer fast attack boat raid on the Mubarak Oil Platform , sunk the Iranian frigate " Sahand " and severely damaged the frigate " Sabalan " , and F - 14s scared away a section of Iranian F - 4 Phantom s . CVW - 11 was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award for its actions . The Air Wing made its final deployment with the " Enterprise " from September 1989 to March 1990 , which included several exercises with Japanese Maritime Self - Defense Force , Republic of Korea Naval and Air Forces , USAF and USMC and the largest assemblage of US Naval air and sea power since WW2 with three carrier groups , composed of the " Enterprise " , USS " Carl Vinson " ( CVN - 70 ) and USS " Constellation " ( CV - 64 ) . The Air Wing also supported Operation Classic Resolve in December 1989 near Manila Bay . The mission was to support US interests following the 1989 Philippine Coup d ' état . The cruise ended with the USS " Enterprise " switching from the Pacific Fleet to the Atlantic Fleet . 1990s . The 1990s followed with major changes to the air wing . The A - 7E ’ s were replaced by F / A - 18 Hornets , and the SH - 3 Sea King s were replaced with SH - 60 ’ s while the E - 2Cs and the A - 6Es received major upgrades . CVW - 11 ’ s first deployment was USS " Abraham Lincoln " ( CVN - 72 ) ’ s maiden voyage , cruising around South America to its new home in California . The 1991 Gulf War accelerated CVW - 11s training schedule and a deployment began in May 1991 . En route to the Persian Gulf , CVW - 11 participated in Operation Fiery Vigil , the evacuation from Subic Bay during the Mt Pinatubo eruptions in the Philippines . The 1993 deployment saw VF - 213 as the sole F - 14 squadron as the air wing supported Operation Southern Watch and Operation Restore Hope . Another deployment followed on board the " Lincoln " for the 1995 cruise , supporting OSW once again . CVW - 11 switched to the USS " Kitty Hawk " for a 1997 cruise , another OSW deployment and supporting United Nations Security Council Resolution 986 , the Oil for Food program . After the 1997 cruise , CVW - 11 switched to the USS " Carl Vinson " and VF - 213 transitioned to the F - 14D Super Tomcat . CVW - 11 supported Operation Desert Fox during the 1998 - 1999 cruise . The Air Wing participated in strikes during the last day of the operation , VF - 213 delivered four GBU - 24 ’ s with 100 % accuracy ( first combat use of the F - 14D ) , VFA - 22 and VFA - 94 F / A - 18s scored direct hits with eight GBU - 16 ' , while EA - 6B ’ s from VAQ - 135 and F / A - 18s from VFA - 97 provided AGM - 88 support during the strike . During the following three months , CVW - 11 supported Operation Southern Watch , conducting 15 strikes during this period . On 5 January 1999 , two F - 14Ds launched two AIM - 54 Phoenix missiles against two Iraqi MiG - 25 ’ s that violated the no - fly zone , as soon as the missiles were launched , the MiGs escaped home and the missiles failed to hit their targets , this was the first use of the missile in combat . On 25 January , three aircraft from VFA - 22 and VFA - 94 employed the JSOW against a surface - to - air - missile complex which had plagued Coalition aircraft for nine years since the Gulf War , a total of 17 were dropped during missions over Iraq . During the deployment , VFA - 22 , VFA - 94 , VFA - 97 and VF - 213 dropped a total of 41 , 000 pounds of ordnance on SAM sites and communication sites , and additionally F / A - 18s and EA - 6Bs fired 20 HARMs . The Air Wing returned home safely in May 1999 . 2000s . In 2001 another deployment followed , which was planned to support OSW , but soon after 11 September 2001 , the Vinson and CVW - 11 departed for the Indian Ocean and aircraft from the air wing as among the first to launch strikes against Taliban and Al - Qaeda forces in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom . After returning home , CVW - 11 was reassigned to Cruiser - Destroyer Group Five and the USS " Nimitz " ( CVN - 68 ) in January 2002 . The Air Wing bid farewell to the F - 14 Tomcat , as VF - 213 changed air wings to Carrier Air Wing Eight . VFA - 14 and VFA - 41 , who had been part of CVW - 8 , had transitioned to the F / A - 18 Super Hornet and were attached to CVW - 11 , and VFA - 22 was sent to CVW - 9 . CVW - 11 made its first deployment with the " Nimitz " in March 2003 supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom , as only the second air wing to deploy Super Hornets . The " Nimitz " remained on - station until September before returning home in November 2003 . After its return , VFA - 97 was replaced by VMFA - 232 flying the F / A - 18C Hornet , and VS - 29 flying the S - 3B Viking was decommissioned . CVW - 11 was among the first air wings deploying as the new “ all - Hornet ” air wing of the future , which included a flight deck certification of USS " Ronald Reagan " ( CVN - 76 ) , during her maiden voyage from Norfolk , Virginia to San Diego , California . In May 2005 , CVW - 11 deployed on board the " Nimitz " supporting OIF and OEF and multinational exercises with Japan , Egypt and India until November 2005 . This deployment was depicted in the documentary film Carrier . In 2007 CVW - 11 deployed on board the USS " Nimitz " for a WESTPAC cruise and participated in Operation Valiant Shield , a joint - force exercise in the vicinity of Guam . On 18 January 2008 , it was announced that CVW - 11 would deploy on 24 January to the Pacific for a surge - deployment on board the " Nimitz " . On 11 February , during their 2008 WESTPAC cruise , a Russian Tu - 95 bomber was intercepted by four F / A - 18s as it flew over the USS " Nimitz " . CVN - 68 / CVW - 11 made a port visit to Busan , South Korea on 28 February in conjunction with military exercises Key Resolve / Foal Eagle . On 5 March , it was again reported that a Russian bomber overflew the " Nimitz " off the Korean coast , two F / A - 18s were sent up and intercepted the Russian aircraft as it was three to five nautical miles ( 9 km ) from the carrier at an altitude of . On 19 May 2009 just before midnight , an HH - 60H helicopter from the air wing crashed into the ocean south of San Diego and about from " Nimitz " . As of 20 May , three crewmembers were confirmed dead with two more still missing . On 28 July it was announced that CVW - 11 and the Nimitz Strike Group was to depart for a seven - month deployment on 31 July . Nimitz Strike Group , including CVW - 11 , departed the States for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment on 31 July 2009 , and began to fly combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on 21 September . On 11 June 2012 , during carrier qualifications , the air wing commander , Captain Greg Harris , completed his 1000th arrested landing when he flew his F / A - 18F Super Hornet strike fighter from squadron VFA - 154 on board the ( " pictured " ) .