The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is now in the North Pacific – off of the Aleutians – in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations. The Theodore Roosevelt CSG is there ahead of the start of Northern Edge 2021. The exercise will feature the carrier strike group, the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, about 200 ground-based aircraft and 10,000 troops operating from the Aleutian Islands deep into the interior of Alaska. This is the first time a Marine Expeditionary Unit will participate in the exercise operating from an Amphibious Ready Group.
Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group also participated in Northern Edge 2019.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is back in the South China Sea after a brief stop for provisions and personnel in Guam on Apr. 16. Crews of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and USS Russell (DDG-59) used the stop to resupply, reported the Pacific Daily News.
Sailors were limited to the pier to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission, according to the Navy. A previous stop at Guam resulted in three cases of COVID 19 in February.
Two weeks ago, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked exercised together in the South China Sea. The drills came as tensions have increased between Manila and Beijing over a Chinese maritime militia incursion into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.