USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Greece, close to Black Sea

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
USS George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group Arrives in Greece, close to Black Sea
 
More than 5,000 Sailors serving in the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWB CSG) arrived in Piraeus, Greece on March 4. This visit to Greece was planned but the GHWB CSG is now as close as possible to the Black Sea where there are ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Because of the Montreux Convention signed in 1936, Aircraft Carriers can not sail through the Bosporus Straits.
     
More than 5,000 Sailors serving in the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group (GHWB CSG) arrived in Piraeus, Greece on March 4. This visit to Greece was planned but the GHWB CSG is now as close as possible to the Black Sea where there are ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Feb. 27, 2014) The aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) leads the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group through the Strait of Gibraltar. George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is deployed in support of maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Wolpert/Released)
     
Commanded by Rear Adm. DeWolfe Miller, GHWB CSG is comprised of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 22 and USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58). Additionally, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) arrived in the 6th Fleet AOR as an independent deployer.

GHWB CSG is deployed as part of the on-going rotation of forward-deployed forces to support maritime security operations and operate in international waters across the globe, along with other coalition maritime forces. The strike group is prepared to conduct a variety of missions, including forward naval presence, maritime security operations, and crisis response and theater security cooperation.

More than 1,700 personnel are assigned to CVW-8, part of the George H.W. Bush Strike Group.

CVW-8 includes the “Golden Warriors” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 87, the “Valions” of VFA-15, the “Fighting Black Lions” of VFA-213, the “Tomcatters” of VFA-31, the “Bear Aces” of Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 124, the “Garudas” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134, the “Tridents” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40, and the “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70.

The HSM-70 Spartans fly the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter.