Harry S. Truman Strike Group Conducts Sustainment Underway

13 April 2020

From U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) remains at sea in the Western Atlantic as a certified carrier strike group force ready for tasking in order to protect the crew from the risks posed by COVID-19, following their successful deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of ...

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The Navy is taking this measure to maintain the strike group’s warfighting capability while ensuring the safety of the crew. The demand for naval assets remains high. Therefore, keeping HSTCSG at sea in U.S. 2nd Fleet as it remains in the sustainment phase of OFRP allows the ship to maintain a high level of readiness for a potential rapid surge or forward deployment, providing options to the national command authority during this global COVID-19 pandemic.

“The ship is entering a period in which it needs to be ready to respond and deploy at any time,” said Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, commander U.S. 2nd Fleet. “Normally we can do that pierside, but in the face of COVID-19, we need to protect our most valuable asset, our people, by keeping the ship out to sea.”

The Navy will continue to evaluate this dynamic situation and will provide an update to the crew and their families in approximately three weeks.

“After completing a successful deployment we would love nothing more than to be reunited with our friends and families,” said Rear Admiral Andrew Loiselle, commander of Carrier Strike Group 8. “We recognize that these are unique circumstances and the responsible thing to do is to ensure we are able to answer our nation’s call while ensuring the health and safety of our Sailors. We thank you for your continued love and support as we remain focused on this important mission.”

The HSTCSG is an example of how U.S. naval forces are inherently flexible and provide presence and capabilities when and where needed. The ships within the strike group remain ready to respond to emergent tasking around the globe, providing critically needed capabilities for emerging crises.

C2F exercises operational authorities over assigned ships, aircraft, and landing forces on the East Coast and the Atlantic.

For more information, contact C2F public affairs at ashley.hockycko@navy.mil.

For more news from U.S. 2nd Fleet, visit https://www.navy.mil.facebook.com/US2ndFleet/ or http://twitter.com/US2ndFleet

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