Surging ahead: the Navy's new fleet response plan: Summer Pulse '04

The fleet tested the Navy's new operational construct of his Fleet Response Plan (FRP) with SummerPulse '04, which kicked off in June and concluded in August.

The exercise saw the simultaneous deployment of seven aircraft carrier strike groups (CSGs) to demonstrate the ability of the Navy to provide credible combat power across the globe by operating in five theaters with other U.S., allied and coalition military forces.

"Summer Pulse '04 is a demonstration of the ability of the U.S. Navy to conduct global surge operations in the new FRP operational construct," said ADM William J. Fallon, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. "It will signal to friends and potential adversaries that substantial sea-based combat power can respond on short notice."

FRP is about new ways of operating, training, manning and maintaining the fleet, that result in increased force readiness and the ability to provide significant combat power to the President in response to a national emergency or crisis.

The Navy exercised the full range of skills involved in simultaneously deploying and employing carrier strike groups around the world. Summer Pulse '04 included scheduled deployments, surge operations, joint and international exercises, and other advanced training and port visits.

"Summer Pulse '04 and the FRP are not about how often and how long we can deploy," said RADM J.D. Kelly, commander, Carrier Strike Group 5 embarked onboard USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63).

"They are about being able to answer the nation's call in force--six CSGs in 30 days and two more within three months by providing credible combat power where and when it's needed. Summer Pulse is the proof of our readiness."

Summer Pulse '04 also exercised the logistics and shore infrastructure necessary to execute a large-scale surge operation, stressed the operational concepts in the Navy's Sea Power 21 strategy and improved Navy interoperability with numerous allies and coalition partners, as well as other U.S. military forces.

The seven aircraft carriers involved in Summer Pulse '04 included: the Norfolk-based USS George Washington (CVN 73) CSG, now home, and the San Diego-based USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) CSG, currently deployed. The Yokosuka, Japan based USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and the Mayport, Fla.-based USS John F Kennedy (CV 67) CSG, which is currently on its scheduled overseas deployment, participated in various exercises enroute to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Norfolk-based USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) CSG conducted a scheduled training exercise followed by overseas pulse operations with the Norfolk-based USS Enterprise (CVN 65) CSG. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) conducted operations in the U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Southern Command theaters during the ship's inter-fleet transfer from Norfolk to her Pacific Fleet homeport of San Diego.

The submarine force also provided a significant portion of the Navy's credible combat force during Summer Pulse '04. Ten submarines deployed in four areas of responsibility, supporting CSGs, as well as other operations and exercises in accordance with the FRP.

The near-simultaneous deployment of seven CSGs provided the Navy and the joint combatant commanders the opportunity to exercise the FRP while maintaining the ability to respond to crises around the globe. It also served to enhance regional security and relationships, meet combatant commander requirements including forward presence, and demonstrate a commitment to allies and coalition partners.

"We are touching almost every continent and hitting all of the major oceans and seas," said CAPT Martin Erdossy, commanding officer, USS George Washington (CVN 73). "We're proud to be a part of the world's greatest Navy, and the fact that we can put aircraft carriers in so many different places is a great testimony to how great we really are."

This story was assembled from various Navy News stories.

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