Congressman Panetta visits Abraham Lincoln during Carrier Quals at Sea

31 August 2021

From Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Amber Smalley

Rep. Jimmy Panetta, from California’s 20th Congressional District, visited the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Aug. 29, while at sea off the coast of California.

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Abraham Lincoln is currently conducting carrier qualifications for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleet replacement squadrons (FRS), presenting Panetta with the opportunity to observe firsthand a critical portion of the training pipeline for Naval Aviators.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (right), from California’s 20th Congressional District, views an F/A-18 Super Hornet generator control unit aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 29, 2021) Rep. Jimmy Panetta (right), from California’s 20th Congressional District, views an F/A-18 Super Hornet generator control unit aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln is currently underway carrier qualifications operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Javier Reyes)

At the FRS, newly designated Naval Aviators are trained on the requirements of the specific aircraft they will be assigned to when they reach their fleet squadron. The goal of the FRS is to train Naval Aviators to be proficient in the aircraft’s full mission set in a realistic training environment.

“Carrier aviation has been a symbol of our naval strength for years,” said Panetta, “but I was able to witness first hand that it is truly our naval aviators, and the Sailors who support them, that give us an asymmetric advantage at sea and in the air.”

Aboard the ship, Panetta and several congressional staffers observed flight operations from the flight deck, toured various work centers including Abraham Lincoln’s aviation intermediate maintenance department, supply department, intelligence department, and medical department and observed various shipboard evolutions. In each of the departments and throughout each evolution, Panetta and the staffers also engaged firsthand with the Sailors behind the operations of Abraham Lincoln.

“Learning more and observing the equipment our nation has aboard the aircraft carrier has been incredibly informative and impressive,” said Panetta. “However, the most impressive thing aboard the Lincoln has been the young men and women who make all the operations possible.”

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Allan Kerns, from San Diego, briefs Rep. Jimmy Panetta and congressional staffers during a tour of the aircraft intermediate maintenance department aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72).

PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 29, 2021) Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Allan Kerns, from San Diego, briefs Rep. Jimmy Panetta and congressional staffers during a tour of the aircraft intermediate maintenance department aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln is currently underway conducting carrier qualifications in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Javier Reyes)