Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group Conducts COMPTUEX

From Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group Public Affairs

NORFOLK (NNS) -- USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) is taking part in a composite unit training exercise (COMPTUEX) July 7-30 off the East Coast of the United States.

Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet (C2F) scheduled the exercise, and it will be conducted by a training team led by Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic (CSFTL).

"COMPTUEX is an invaluable training opportunity that allows us to flex our ability to operate at the warfare commander level in a tactically realistic environment," said Capt. Peter Pagano, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4 deputy commander. "It allows us to bring the different parts of the amphibious ready group together along with our allies and put them in a threat environment similar to what we could face in the real world."

COMPTUEX is designed to provide realistic training environments for U.S. naval forces that closely replicate the operational challenges routinely encountered during military operations around the world. Training such as this will ensure that the ARG is prepared to support any mission.

"It stresses all of those mission areas, the full spectrum, and it really gives us an opportunity to not only practice what we might be called upon to do, but we have evaluators on board who will assess us and provide mentorship to make us a better prepared group," said Capt. Baxter Goodly, Kearsarge's commanding officer.

The ARG is comprised of Commander, Amphibious Squadron 4, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Kearsarge, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and the amphibious platform docking ship USS Ponce (LPD 15).

Three British vessels will also play a major role in the COMPTUEX. The Royal Navy fleet flagship HMS Ark Royal (R07), destroyer HMS Liverpool (D92) and landing platform docks HMS Albion (L14).

The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), guided-missile destroyer USS Mahan (DDG 72), the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41) and the frigate USS Doyle (FFG 39) are also be participating in this exercise.