MANILA, Philippines — The United States Navy celebrated Independence Day by conducting high-end integrated exercises among two of its carrier strike groups in the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea
Sailors from the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan—which form the Nimitz Carrier Strike Force— conducted dual-carrier operations in the Philippine Sea on July 3, a day before US Independence Day.
On July 4, the strike groups also conducted several tactical exercises in the disputed South China Sea. US Independence Day also coincides with Philippine-American Friendship Day.
Aircraft from the two US warships simulated enemy attacks to test the force's ability to detect, intercept and engage threats during air defense and strike exercises, according to a report from the US Pacific Fleet.
"Doing the basic skills well, like efficient aircraft launch and recovery, is the foundation of all our tactics. Maintaining our high operational tempo provides the training and repetitions necessary to ensure we can launch large scale strikes as a matter of routine," USS Ronald Reagan air operations officer Cmdr. Stanton Hanley said.
USS Ronald Reagan, the US Navy's only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5. — Patricia Lourdes Viray