Bas Stubert and Hans van der Wilt report for GMAP from Portsmouth; England.
The aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) arrived in Portsmouth, England, for a scheduled port visit, at the end of July 2017.
This port visit precedes the ship’s participation in the multinational exercise Saxon Warrior ’17 along with elements from the United Kingdom and other North American Treaty Organization (NATO) members. The exercise is designed to develop theater-specific combat skills, as well as enhance cooperation between allies.
On board was Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8 and many of the planes where parked on deck during the visit to Potsmouth and with a civilian boat tour allong the carrier many aircraft could be seen and photographed.
“After completing our mission, we are taking time to visit one of our greatest allies,” said Capt. Will Pennington, GHWB’s commanding officer. “I think it speaks volumes about our Navy and our nation that we are stopping to help our ally get back in the carrier strike group business. The U.K.’s support, and our teamwork together, has been crucial to protecting the freedoms of both nations. This port visit and the upcoming exercise show the strength of our relationship and that it will still carry on into the future.”
The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests.
Text from internet: www.navy.mil
Carrier Air Wing Three (CVW 8), and based out of Naval Air Station Oceana are currently assigned to the USS George H.W. Bush. CVW 8 is comprised of a total complement of nine aircraft squadrons.
- Strike Fighter Squadron 31 (VFA-31) – ‘Tomcatters’ – Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet
- Strike Fighter Squadron 37 (VFA-37) – ‘Ragin Bulls’ – Boeing F/A-18C Hornet
- Strike Fighter Squadron 87 (VFA-87) – ‘Golden Warriors’ – Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet
- Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213) – ‘Blacklions’ – Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet
- Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 12 (VAW-124) – ‘Bear Aces’ – Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
- Electronic Attack Squadron 131 (VAQ-131) – ‘Lancers’ – Boeing EA-18G Growler
- Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 7 (HSC-9) – ‘Tridents’ – Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk
- Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 74 (HSM-70) – ‘Spartans’ – Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
- Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40, Detachment II) – ‘Rawhides’ – Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound
The following aircraft were on board during the duration of the visit in Portmouth
- VFA-31 ‘Tomcatters’
166776/AJ-100 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166777/AJ-101 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166778/AJ-102 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166779/AJ-103 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166780/AJ-104 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166781/AJ-105 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166782/AJ-106 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166783/AJ-107 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166784/AJ-110 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166785/AJ-111 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166786/AJ-112 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
166788/AJ-113 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
169120/AJ-151 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super HornetVFA-213 ‘Black Lions’
166663/AJ-200 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166674/AJ-201 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166679/AJ-202 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166681/AJ-203 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166682/AJ-204 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166683/AJ-205 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166684/AJ-206 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166672/AJ-207 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166636/AJ-210 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166638/AJ-212 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166639/AJ-213 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super Hornet
166640/AJ-214 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18F Super HornetVFA-87 ‘Golden Warriors’
168910/AJ-300 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168911/AJ-301 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168912/AJ-302 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168913/AJ-303 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168914/AJ-304 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168915/AJ-305 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168916/AJ-306 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168917/AJ-307 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168918/AJ-310 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
168919/AJ-311 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18E Super Hornet
- VFA-37 ‘Ragin Bulls’
165187/AJ-400 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
164632/AJ-401 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
164976/AJ-402 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165526/AJ-403 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165221/AJ-404 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165174/AJ-405 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165200/AJ-406 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165176/AJ-407 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165171/AJ-410 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet
165182/AJ-411 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C HornetVAQ-131 ‘Lancers’
168772/AJ-500 McDonnell Douglas EA-18G Growler
168773/AJ-501 McDonnell Douglas EA-18G Growler
168774/AJ-502 McDonnell Douglas EA-18G Growler
168775/AJ-503 McDonnell Douglas EA-18G Growler
168776/AJ-504 McDonnell Douglas EA-18G GrowlerVAW-124 ‘Bear Aces’
165507/AJ-600 Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
165300/AJ-601 Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
165298/AJ-602 Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
164483/AJ-603 Grumman E-2C HawkeyeHSC-9 ‘Tridents’
167901/AJ-610 Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
167878/AJ-611 Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
167888/AJ-616 Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
168581/AJ-620 Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
168577/AJ-621 Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
167892/AJ-622 Sikorsky MH-60S SeahawkHSM-70 ‘Spartans’
167063/AJ-700 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
168125/AJ-701 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
168132/AJ-704 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
166552/AJ-706 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk
168131/AJ-710 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk