America's Flagship 雷根啟航向日本○TBT(2015.08.31)

【Comment】

三艘總統防換防，九千水手忙上忙

20150518 GW回家，出雲相送

這兩人有何不同？

Rear Adm. John Alexander, commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet

Capt. Christopher Bolt, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer

雷根啟航向日本○TBT(2015.08.31)

雷根號航空母艦在美國時間8月31日起程前往日本橫須賀，成為下一艘駐日的航艦。

今年稍早美國確定史上第一次三艘航空母艦的大換防，喬治華盛頓號結束七年的駐日派遣返回美國進行中壽性能大修與核燃料更換工程，羅斯福號則將前往美國西岸，以加州Coronado海軍基地為母港。

雷根號將在10/2抵達日本，預計2019年返回美國。

USS Ronald Reagan Departs for Japan○US Navy(2015.08.31)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- After nine years of calling Naval Air Station North Island its homeport, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed San Diego for Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, Aug. 31.

Ronald Reagan replaced the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) as the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier and will assume duties in the 7th Fleet Area of Responsibility upon arrival.

"Ronald Reagan has been embraced as America's Flagship.  Not only does she have strong ties to Americans, she also has ties to the people of Japan," said Rear Adm. John Alexander, commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet.  "In 2011 Ronald Reagan was one of the first responders to assist in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the east coast of Japan during Operation Tomodachi. The ties that were established with the ship and our host nation will continue to grow."

Ronald Reagan successfully completed a post-hull swap assessment and sea trials, which included a flight deck certification, preparing ship and its crew to assume its new role as the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed aircraft carrier.

The force structure change and initiation of the historic three-crew hull swap between George Washington, Ronald Reagan and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) was put into action by George Washington's need to undergo her mid-life refueling complex overhaul (RCOH).

"USS Ronald Reagan is 11 years newer than USS George Washington (CVN 73), which means the carrier has benefited from 11 years of evolving technology," said Capt. Christopher Bolt, Ronald Reagan's commanding officer. "America's Flagship will serve our nation as a cornerstone of the Forward Deployed Naval Forces based in Yokosuka, Japan."

Ronald Reagan is scheduled to arrive in Japan in the fall of 2015 which will mark the ship's first time back to Japan since supporting Operation Tomodachi.

Ronald Reagan provides a combat-ready force that works with the navies of other nation partners to protect the collective maritime interests of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Indo-Asia Pacific region.