USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) is currently participating in a sustainment exercise with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, guided-missile cruiser USS Antietam (CG 54), guided-missile destroyers USS Kidd (DDG 100) and USS Milius (DDG 69).

Strike group assets will integrate and train together in their main mission areas of maritime security operations, air defense and anti-submarine warfare for the first time since completing their Western Pacific deployment in July.

The exercise maintains the strike group’s operational proficiencies, so the strike group can meet the Navy’s need for available carrier presence.

“We keep certain carriers around that will respond to a crisis first,” said Capt. Joseph Kuzmick, Stennis commanding officer. “That’s where John C. Stennis sits right now. Every few months during that time we have to refresh our readiness to respond around the world.”

Sailors will work on qualifications and practice operations many of which can’t be performed in port or when the strike group assets are separated.

“You can’t just bring an air wing out to a carrier and expect them to work perfectly together,” said Kuzmick. “We’re going to exercise our tactics, techniques and procedures to make sure that we all coordinate correctly. The strike group staff will exercise operational control over their assets, and the individual units will learn how to work tactically again with each other. We’re basically honing the edge on the blade.”

The sustainment exercise is scheduled to last two weeks.