Enterprise, Carrier Air Wing One Complete Blue Water Certification

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Alex R. Forster, USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and embarked Carrier Air Wing One (CVW 1) successfully completed their Blue Water Certification Oct. 21 during Carrier Strike Group Twelve's Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

Blue Water Certification qualifies the carrier and air wing to conduct flight operations without a divert airfield available. Prior to becoming certified, aircrew can only fly with secondary landing sites in range, for use in case of emergencies.

"One strength of a carrier is being able to operate autonomously without the need of other airfields. Our assets launch from and return to our deck," said Cmdr. Carroll W. Bannister, the Big E's air boss.

The certification process took the ship and the air wing two days to complete and required everyone to work seamlessly together.

"It is a total team effort that must be continuously monitored, tweaked and executed – no one's part is more important than the other's," said Bannister. "Everyone has to work in an efficient manner for all facets of the certification to come together. My part is to ensure that the orchestration is done and to ensure all parties are acting in concert."

Commander, Strike Force Training Atlantic provided an evaluation team for the event, with Big E earning an exceptional grade upon completion of Blue Water Certification.

"It is one of the final pre-deployment 'checks in the box' for Enterprise," said Chief Air Traffic Controller (AW/SW) Douglas E. Cooke, Case III Carrier Air Traffic Control Center (CATCC) supervisor and leading chief petty officer of OC division.

This certifies that not only CATCC and the flight deck are ready to deploy, but that the ship as a whole is ready, said Cooke.

"The combat systems personnel must assure the radars and communications work, the reactor and engineering department have to supply steam to the catapults and propulsion plants, and supply and AIMD (Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department) must keep parts in stock and maintenance up-to-date to keep aircraft flying," said Cooke. "It's really a whole team evolution for the entire command."

Blue Water Certification was a monumental accomplishment for the Big E, as the crew gears up for its first deployment in three years.

"I couldn't be more proud of the Sailors and Marines serving on Big E," said Capt. O.P. Honors, USS Enterprise commanding officer. "We had a difficult goal to accomplish, and our team knocked it out of the park."

Enterprise Strike Group consists of Enterprise, the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), the guided-missile destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG 84), USS Barry (DDG 52) and USS Mason (DDG 87), USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8), Carrier Air Wing 1 and Destroyer Squadron 2.

Enterprise Strike Group is conducting COMPTUEX as part of its work-ups in preparation for an upcoming deployment. For more information about Enterprise, Carrier Strike Group 12 or Carrier Air Wing 1 visit www.Enterprise.navy.mil, www.ccsg12.surfor.navy.mil, and www.cvw1.navy.mil.