Independent Deployer Certification Exercise Set to Kickoff

From Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet Public Affairs

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- U.S. Navy ships are scheduled to participate in an independent deployer certification exercise (IDCERTEX) in the Southern California operating area April 25-May 3.

IDCERTEX will provide a multi-ship environment to train and certify independent deployers in surface warfare, air defense, maritime interception operations, command and control/information warfare, command, control, computers and combat systems intelligence and mine warfare.

The exercise, led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet (C3F) and executed by Commander, Carrier Strike Group Fifteen (CSG 15), will include Commander, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 3, Commander, Naval Mine and Anti-Submarine Warfare Command (NMAWC), Commander, Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW 9), Commander, Destroyer Squadron 21 (DESRON) 21, the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), the guided-missile destroyers USS Higgins (DDG 76), USS Chung Hoon (DDG 93), USS Kidd (DDG 100), USS Stockdale (DDG 106), USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), and Littoral Combat Ship USS Freedom (LCS 1).

IDCERTEX will serve as CSG 15's final opportunity to evaluate and certify Higgins and Sailors from USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) Crew 101, embarked aboard Freedom, across multiple warfare areas prior to regularly scheduled deployments.

The exercise involves training between multiple ships and aircraft and consists of flight operations, submarine tracking, strait transit formations, replenishment-at-sea and other required mission evolutions.

"This exercise not only serves as an opportunity to certify Higgins and LCS Crew 101 to execute a wide variety of missions while deployed, but also leverages other units scheduled to be underway, such as the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, to provide integrated training that Higgins and LCS Crew 101 wouldn't otherwise have," said Rear Adm. Joe Kuzmick, commander of CSG 15.

Freedom and Higgins are homeported in San Diego as part of U.S. 3rd Fleet.

Leading the naval forces in the Eastern Pacific from the West Coast of North America to the international date line, U.S. 3rd Fleet provides realistic, relevant training necessary for an effective global Navy.