Eisenhower carrier strike group officials note maintenance concerns

US Navy officials say aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower is in need of maintenance after extended Red Sea operations. (Janes/Michael Fabey)

With its current deployment extended for a second time as it continues increased air operations in the Red Sea, aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) is beginning to show a need for downtime maintenance, ship and carrier strike group officials told Janes during an interview on 11 June aboard the vessel in the Red Sea.

Eisenhower left Norfolk in October for what was anticipated to mostly be a European deployment of an expected duration of approximately seven months. However, the carrier and its strike group were sent into the Red Sea region to deal with the growing tensions there.

For more information on the ship’s changed deployment, please see US redirects carrier strike group, deploys THAAD to increase US force protection in Middle East.

Eisenhower’s first extension came in March with the second coming in May, USN officials said.

During the deployment to the region, strike group ships and aircraft have flown more than 12,100 sorties, logging more 27,200 flight hours, and launched more than 350 air-to-surface weapons and more than 50 air-to-air missiles.

The surface combatants have launched more than 100 Standard Missiles and Tomahawk missiles.

“We’ve been running hard,” Rear Admiral Marc Miguez, then commander, Carrier Strike Group 2, told Janes.

Rear Adm Miguez has since left strike group command to become USN chief of legislative affairs in Washington, DC.

There have been multiple extensions for East Coast strike groups, Rear Adm Miguez noted.