Navy, Air Force Integrate for Training aboard IKE while Underway

26 September 2024

From USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) hosted Airmen from the U.S. Air Force 1st Fighter Wing (FW) while underway off the coast of Florida for carrier qualifications, Sep. 20-26.

The underway was an opportunity for Air Force assets from the 1st FW to train with IKE Sailors in all departments to develop best practices for deployable assets.

“The request came through the [Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic] to bring the U.S. Air Force underway with us as an exposure tour,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Dan Cistola. “They wanted to see how we operate with such seemingly little resources (compared to an entire Air Force base) and I wanted to give them the understanding that a U.S. aircraft carrier is a self-sufficient iron fortress capable of far more than simply launching and recovering aircraft.”

The military is constantly finding new ways to improve mission readiness and find the best practices for current and future operations.

“The Air Force is transitioning to a deployable wing concept,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Smith, assigned to 1st FW. “Similar to how Navy ships are moving constantly; we’d like to mold that concept for the Air Force. We’re learning about the multi-faceted Sailor concept; not being stove piped into one job and utilized as a tool for many different things.”

The assimilation of joint forces in an operational environment allowed for Airmen to gather real-world knowledge of how Sailors perform in a ship’s unique setting.

“The most beneficial part of this integration has been being able to talk to the Sailors,” said U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Rubin, munitions and maintenance officer, 1st FW. “They operate and do everything that we do but with significantly less space and significantly more hazard risk. To be able to understand their experiences, challenges and strengths, in such a constrained space, has helped us learn that the mission-ready Airmen concept is viable.”

For the Navy, the opportunity to train with a joint environment helped IKE Sailors form a broader picture when it comes to future missions.

“The phrase ‘same-same, but different’ could almost be considered a mantra after this training,” said Cistola. “Air Force and Navy operate in many of the same ways but with subtle differences that only become evident as you try to communicate between branches. It is not uncommon for some members on the ship to coordinate efforts with Air Force counterparts during a mission and this underway will help IKE Sailors communicate more effectively with the Air Force during those missions.”

The culmination of ship familiarization and training during this brief underway was a success and members of the IKE and the 1st FW can begin to use the knowledge that was shared in their respective units.

“I’m taking the knowledge that the mission-ready Airmen concept is viable,” said Rubin. “Speaking with the Sailors who are already employed within multiple jobs, beyond their assigned career field, it’s possible. Hearing from their experiences; the strain that it puts on them is good lessons learned for when we employ that concept. It gives us a good idea of the risks that we run when we’re trying to take care of our airmen while balancing our mission requirements.”

IKE, currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk, is preparing for a scheduled maintenance period.

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