The ships and air wing of the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group successfully completed a composite training unit exercise (COMPTUEX), April 12.

COMPTUEX measured the carrier strike group's ability to perform and effectively respond as an integrated team during simulated scenarios the group may encounter while deployed.

Ike CSG is comprised of CSG-10 staff, Destroyer Squadron 26 staff, aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3, guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto and USS Monterey, and the ships of DESRON 26: guided-missile destroyers USS Stout, USS Roosevelt, USS Mason and USS Nitze.

The Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen also participated in the exercise to foster a stronger partnership and integration with the U.S. Navy, and provided the strike group an opportunity to operate with allied forces prior to deploying.

"Nansen's participation, and the visit by Rear Adm. Lars Saunes [chief of the RNoN], signifies the importance of training and operating with our coalition partners prior to executing high-end warfare or humanitarian assistance/disaster relief," said Capt. Brian Fort, DESRON 26 commodore.

This training measured the Ike CSG's effectiveness to collaborate and demonstrate its preparedness in multiple scenarios. To further simulate real-world situations, a number of U.S. naval ships, submarines and aircraft served as opposing forces in anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, strike warfare, cyber warfare, maritime interdiction, irregular warfare, counter-piracy and counter-proliferation exercises.

"The team has spent months working together and increasing our readiness to execute our upcoming scheduled deployment," said Rear Adm. Jesse A. Wilson Jr., Ike CSG commander. "The mentoring and training from Carrier Strike Group 4 challenged us and made us a better and stronger team that I couldn't be prouder of."

The completion of COMPTUEX marks the final major training evolution of Ike CSG's pre-deployment workup cycle.

Wilson said, "This strike group is designed to be lethal and to generate effects, and provide our leadership with options. We are more than ready."

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