Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) is a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

aircraft carrier air wing based at

Naval Air Station Lemoore Naval Air Station Lemoore or NAS Lemoore is a United States Navy base, located in Kings County, California, Kings County and Fresno County, California, Fresno County, California, United States. Lemoore Station, California, Lemoore Station, a cen ...

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier .Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW 11)
- Global Security.org - Access Date 1 January 2007

Mission

To conduct carrier air warfare operations and assist in the planning, control, coordination and integration of seven air wing squadrons in support of carrier air warfare including; Interception and destruction of enemy aircraft and missiles in all-weather conditions to establish and maintain local air superiority. All-weather offensive air-to-surface attacks, Detection, localization, and destruction of enemy ships and submarines to establish and maintain local sea control. Aerial photographic, sighting, and electronic intelligence for naval and joint operations. Airborne early warning service to fleet forces and shore warning nets. Airborne electronic countermeasures. In-flight refueling operations to extend the range and the endurance of air wing aircraft and Search and rescue operations.
– CVW-11 – U.S. Navy – Access Date 1 January 2007

Subordinate units

CVW-11 consists of nine squadrons.Squadrons - Carrier Air Wing Eleven
– CVW-11 – U.S. Navy – Access Date 9 January 2023

History

World War II

Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) was previously designated Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11) and (CVAG-11). On 10 October 1942 at Naval Air Station San Diego, four squadrons joined to form Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11). Bombing Squadron Eleven (VB-11), Fighting Squadron Eleven (VF-11), Scouting Squadron Eleven (VS-11) and Torpedo Squadron Eleven (VT-11). In late October the entire air group was sent to Hawaii. VB-11, VS-11 and VT-11 were stationed at NAS Barbers Point on Oahu and VF-11 was sent to NAS Maui. While at Maui, the pilots of VF-11 trained and enjoyed the hospitality of th
von Tempsky
ranch. Boyd, Maria and Alexa von Tempsky made sure VF-11 had a place to relax when they were not flying. In February 1943 the Air Group embarked on and en route to Nandi in the Fijian Islands. CVG-11 continued to train and fly simulated combat missions. By the time CVG-11 arrived in the Pacific combat zone only one aircraft carrier was operational. This meant the entire air group would be land based at Guadalcanal. On 25 April 1943 CVG-11 arrived at

Guadalcanal Guadalcanal (; indigenous name: ''Isatabu'') is the principal island in Guadalcanal Province of Solomon Islands, located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, northeast of Australia. It is the largest island in the Solomons by area and the second- ...

. VF-11 would fly from Lunga Point, known as "Fighter One." The pilots of VF-11 would set out on escort missions providing cover for the Bombing and Torpedo Squadrons. In addition, the "Sundowners" as VF-11 is known, searched for and destroyed Japanese aircraft operating in the region. It was during this time that VS-11 was re-designated to VB-21. The remainder of the air group (VB-11, VB-21 & VT-11) would fly from Henderson Field. The bomber and torpedo planes conducted patrol, search, spotting, strike, and night mine-laying operations. On 8 June 1943 the Air Group suffered a great loss. The men of VT-11 were granted a leave to Australia. While leaving New Caledonia, one of the three transport planes crashed killing all 24 men on board. Included in the casualties were Air Group Commander Weldon L. Hamilton and 16 pilots and aircrew from VT-11. On 16 June 1943 twenty eight pilots of VF-11 engaged an estimated 120 Japanese planes and shot down 31. On 1 August 1943 CVG-11 left Guadalcanal and boarded USS ''Chenango'', USS ''St. Louis'' and USS ''Honolulu''. They arrived back at NAS Alameda two weeks later. Upon return to the US, CVG-11 trained for their next assignment: carrier operations. Three air groups flew into combat on board during World War II. Air Group Eleven replaced Air Group Two on 29 September 1944. While on board USS ''Hornet'', CVG-11 attacked targets on Okinawa, Formosa, the Philippines, French Indo China and Hong Kong. The Air Group was tested daily by threat of kamikaze attacks against the ship, foul weather and intense anti-aircraft fire over the intended targets. The pilots of VF-11 were most proud of the fact that no VB-11 or VT-11 aircraft were lost to enemy fighter planes. Their top ace was Charles R. Stimpson with 16 victories. By the end of January 1945 the pilots and aircrews of Air Group Eleven claimed the following: 105 enemy planes shot down, 272 planes destroyed on the ground, over 100,000 tons of enemy shipping sunk, and over 100 Japanese ships damaged. These great accomplishments did not come without a price. In four months of flying. CVG-11 lost over 50 aircraft and had more than 60 men killed, missing-in-action or wounded. Air Group Eleven was replaced by Air Group Seventeen on 1 February 1945. They arrived back in Alameda on 24 February 1945. For these operations, CVG-11 was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. An exhibit honoring Carrier Air Group Eleven (CVG-11) is on board the USS ''Hornet'' Museum in Alameda, California. Its grand opening to the public was on Veterans Day of 11 November 2014. In 2014 filmmaker George Retelas released the documentary ''Eleven'' which described the operation of CVG-11 via interviews with eleven of its surviving World War II veterans. After the war, the navy changed the designation scheme for its Carrier Air Groups designating Air Groups configured for the carrier CVAGs, those configured for the larger carrier CVBGs, those configured for the light carriers of the and classes CVLGs and those configured for remaining World War II

escort carrier The escort carrier or escort aircraft carrier (U.S. hull classification symbol CVE), also called a "jeep carrier" or "baby flattop" in the United States Navy (USN) or "Woolworth Carrier" by the Royal Navy, was a small and slower type of aircraf ...

s CVEGs. CVG-11 became CVAG-11. On 1 September 1948 the designation scheme was again changed, and all CVAGs and CVBGs reverted to CVGs and CVEGs and CVLGs were disestablished. CVAG-11 became CVG-11 for the second time.

Korean War

During the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

, CVG-11 was the first Air Wing to shoot down

MiG Mig, MiG, or MIG may refer to: Business * MiG, a Russian aircraft corporation **Any of the MiG aircraft *Marfin Investment Group MIG Holdings S.A. (also known as MIG) is a Greece, Greek investment company. It has acquired several companies an ...

s, and was instrumental in keeping the

Pusan Perimeter The Battle of the Pusan Perimeter, known in Korean as the Battle of the Naktong River Defense Line (), was a large-scale battle between United Nations Command (UN) and North Korean forces lasting from August 4 to September 18, 1950. It was one ...

from collapsing during the early stages of the war, and participated in various other significant operations such as the

Inchon Invasion The Battle of Inchon (), also called Inchon landing, was an amphibious invasion and a battle of the Korean War that resulted in a decisive victory and strategic reversal in favor of the United Nations Command (UN). The operation involved some ...

, the Wonsan landing and the highly successful movement from the

Chosin Reservoir The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Battle of Lake Changjin (), was an important battle in the Korean War. The name "Chosin" is derived from the Japanese pronunciation "''Chōshin'', instead of th ...

Vietnam War and the 1970s

CVG-11 deployed on board with the Seventh Fleet in October 1963 commanded by CDR Warren H. O'Neil, USN. On 20 December 1963 the navy redesignated its Carrier Air Groups to Carrier Air Wings and CVG-11 became Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11). CVW-11 flew the first Offensive Missions against North Vietnam in the spring of 1964, also experiencing the first losses of U.S. Navy aircraft; LT Charles Klusman was later rescued in August 1964 and returned to San Diego in September. In 1965, CVW-11 attached squadrons received new aircraft, such as the

RA-5C Vigilante The North American A-5 Vigilante is an American carrier-based supersonic bomber designed and built by North American Aviation (NAA) for the United States Navy. Before the 1962 unification of Navy and Air Force designations, it was designated A3 ...

A-6 Intruder The Grumman A-6 Intruder is a twinjet all-weather subsonic attack aircraft developed and manufactured by American aircraft company Grumman Aerospace. It was formerly operated by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The A-6 was designed in ...

F-8 Crusader The Vought F-8 Crusader (originally F8U) is a single-engine, supersonic, carrier-based air superiority jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Vought. It was the last American fighter that had guns as the primar ...

and the

E-2 Hawkeye The Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin-turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft ...

. With these new additions, between December 1965 and May 1966, CVW-11 conducted air strikes against targets during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

and delivered more ordnance then any other air wing in the navy. In November 1966, CVW-11 and USS ''Kitty Hawk'' were awarded the

Navy Unit Commendation The Navy Unit Commendation (NUC) is a United States Navy and United States Coast Guard unit award that was established by order of the Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal on 18 December 1944. History Navy A navy, naval force, military m ...

for their actions during their deployment to the region. CVW-11 deployed for a 1966 to 1967 cruise to Asia, which earned them another Navy Unit Commendation in August 1967. ''Kitty Hawk'' and CVW-11 became the first battle group to be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for performance during the Vietnam War, the citation was approved during operations between December 1966 through June 1968. CVW-11 set numerous records for the Vietnam War, including a 61-day line period, which was the longest for the war. Prior to the limited bombing announcement, CVW-11 bombed targets in

North Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; ; VNDCCH), was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, with sovereignty fully recognized in 1954 Geneva Conference, 1954. A member of the communist Eastern Bloc, it o ...

, striking enemy power plants, rail yards and lines of transports and communications. CVW-11's sustained presence in the region was instrumental in the defense of

Khe Sanh Khe Sanh () is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà. During the Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict ...

. CVW-11 broke all records for combat sorties flown and ordnance dropped during its sixth WESTPAC deployment during November 1970 and July 1971, although it was short lived as the air wing broke its own record during the following deployment in 1972 under command of CAPT Doug McCrimmon, as they were deployed due to the Communist offensive, where CVW-11 deployed 107 aircraft, the largest Air Wing ever under the new CV Air Wing concept, which included tactical aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft on the same carrier. The 1973–1974 deployment was highlighted by an air power demonstration for the

Shah of Iran The monarchs of Iran ruled for over two and a half millennia, beginning as early as the 7th century BC and enduring until the 20th century AD. The earliest Iranian king is generally considered to have been either Deioces of the Median dynasty () ...

and the

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) is the presiding officer of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The chairman is the highest-ranking and most senior military officer in the United States Armed Forces Chairman: appointment; gra ...

while deployed to the Indian Ocean. During the 1975 deployment, CVW-11 and ''Kitty Hawk'' deployed for their first non-combat cruise in nine years, which followed with two more deployments in 1975 and 1977. The 1977 cruise was the first with the

F-14 Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, tandem two-seat, twin-tail, all-weather-capable variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experi ...

S-3 Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, Twinjet, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" ...

, the A-6E version of the Intruder and the E-2C version of the Hawkeye. The air wing made one last deployment of the decade in 1979 with .

1980s

In 1982 the Air Wing deployed once more on board ''America'' before CVW-11 switched carriers once again and deployed four times with between 1982 and 1990. With highlights such as the deployment to the Northern Pacific during FLEETEX '84, a three-carrier operation, and the 1986 cruise saw the Air Wing deploy to the Indian Ocean, where F-14s often intercepted

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

and

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

aircraft. Due to operations against

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

in the spring of 1986, it was decided that the battle group would head for the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern Eur ...

and the "Line of Death", where CVW-11 aircraft would fly patrols for two months, although encounters with Libyan jets were rare. The carrier group got to visit

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

and

Toulon Toulon (, , ; , , ) is a city in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the French Riviera and the historical Provence, it is the prefecture of the Var (department), Var department. The Commune of Toulon h ...

, and instead of returning through the

Suez Canal The Suez Canal (; , ') is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, Indo-Mediterranean, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea through the Isthmus of Suez and dividing Africa and Asia (and by extension, the Sinai Peninsula from the rest ...

which they had used to transit to the Mediterranean, USS ''Enterprise'' transited through the

Strait of Gibraltar The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Europe from Africa. The two continents are separated by 7.7 nautical miles (14.2 kilometers, 8.9 miles) at its narrowest point. Fe ...

and cruised the southern cape of Africa before venturing across the Indian Ocean and the Pacific back home. During the 1988 cruise, CVW-11 saw action in the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

in support of

Operation Praying Mantis Operation Praying Mantis was the 18 April 1988 attack by the United States on Iranian naval targets in the Persian Gulf in retaliation for the mining of a U.S. warship four days earlier. On 14 April, the American guided missile frigate stru ...

, flying off USS ''Enterprise'', conducted strikes against

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

ian naval vessels and oil platforms. These attacks were carried out by A-6 Intruders of the Green Lizards, VA-95. CVW-11 repelled a Boghammer fast attack boat raid on the Mubarak Oil Platform and severely damaged the frigate , While the

Sahand Sahand (), is a massive, heavily eroded stratovolcano in East Azerbaijan Province, northwestern Iran. At , it is the highest mountain in the province of East Azerbaijan. Sahand is one of the highest mountains in Iranian Azerbaijan, in addition ...

was sunk and F-14s scared away a section of Iranian

F-4 Phantom The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bowers ...

s. CVW-11 was awarded the

Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritor ...

for its actions. The Air Wing made its final deployment with ''Enterprise'' from September 1989 to March 1990, which included several exercises with

Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force The , abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy ( ...

, Republic of Korea Naval and Air Forces,

USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

and

USMC The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionary ...

and the largest assemblage of US Naval air and sea power since World War II with three carrier groups, composed of ''Enterprise'', and . The Air Wing also supported Operation Classic Resolve in December 1989 near

Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and ...

. The mission was to support US interests following the 1989 Philippine Coup d' état attempt. The cruise ended with USS ''Enterprise'' switching from the Pacific Fleet to the Atlantic Fleet.

1990s

The 1990s followed with major changes to the air wing. The A-7Es were replaced by

F/A-18 The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather supersonic, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole combat aircraft, designed as both a Fighter aircraft, fighter and attack airc ...

Hornets, and the

SH-3 Sea King The Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King (company designation S-61) is an American twin-engine anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter designed and built by Sikorsky Aircraft. A landmark design, it was one of the first ASW rotorcraft to use turboshaft engine ...

s were replaced with SH-60s while the E-2Cs and the A-6Es received major upgrades. CVW-11's first deployment was s maiden voyage, cruising around South America to its new home in

. The 1991

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

accelerated CVW-11s training schedule and a deployment began in May 1991. En route to the Persian Gulf, CVW-11 participated in Operation Fiery Vigil, the evacuation from

Subic Bay Subic Bay is a bay on the west coast of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, about northwest of Manila Bay. An extension of the South China Sea, its shores were formerly the site of a major United States Navy facility, U.S. Naval Base Subi ...

during the Mt Pinatubo eruptions in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

. The 1993 deployment saw

VF-213 Strike Fighter Squadron 213 (VFA-213), also known as the Blacklions, is a renowned United States Navy fighter squadron. Established in 1955, the squadron operated a variety of aircraft over its history, beginning with the McDonnell F2H Banshee. ...

as the sole F-14 squadron as the air wing supported

Operation Southern Watch Operation Southern Watch was an air-centric military operation conducted by the United States Department of Defense from August 1992 to March 2003. United States Central Command's Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTF-SWA) had the mission of moni ...

and

Operation Restore Hope The Unified Task Force (UNITAF), also known as Operation Restore Hope, was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational military force deployed to Somalia from 5 December 1992 to 4 May 1993. It was established to replace United ...

. Another deployment followed on board ''Abraham Lincoln'' for the 1995 cruise, supporting OSW once again. CVW-11 switched to USS ''Kitty Hawk'' for a 1997 cruise, another OSW deployment and supporting

United Nations Security Council Resolution 986 United Nations Security Council resolution 986, adopted unanimously on 14 April 1995, after reaffirming all United Nations Security Council resolution, resolutions on Iraq and noting the serious humanitarian situation with the Iraqi civilian popu ...

, the

Oil for Food The Oil-for-Food Programme (OIP) was established by the United Nations in 1995 (under UN Security Council Resolution 986) to allow Iraq to sell oil on the world market in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian needs for ordinary Ir ...

program. After the 1997 cruise, CVW-11 switched to USS ''Carl Vinson'' and VF-213 transitioned to the F-14D Super Tomcat. CVW-11 supported

Operation Desert Fox The 1998 bombing of Iraq (code-named Operation Desert Fox) was a major bombing campaign against Iraqi targets, from 16 to 19 December 1998, by the United States and the United Kingdom. On 16 December 1998 Bill Clinton announced that he had order ...

during the 1998–1999 cruise. The air wing participated in strikes during the last day of the operation, VF-213 delivered four GBU-24s with 100% accuracy (first combat use of the F-14D),

VFA-22 VFA-22, Strike Fighter Squadron 22, also known as the "Fighting Redcocks", are a United States Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. Their tail code is ''NA'' and their radio callsign is " ...

and

VFA-94 Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94), also known as the Mighty Shrikes, is a United States Navy fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. It is an operational fleet squadron currently flying the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, F/A-1 ...

F/A-18s scored direct hits with eight

GBU-16 The GBU-16 Paveway II is an American Paveway-series laser-guided bomb, a modified Mk 83 general-purpose bomb, but with laser seeker and wings for guidance. The GBU-16 was introduced into service around 1976 and is used by the U.S. Air Force ...

, while

EA-6B The Northrop Grumman (formerly Grumman) EA-6B Prowler is a twin-engine, four-seat, mid-wing electronic-warfare aircraft. Operated by both the United States Marine Corps and United States Navy between 1971 and 2019, it was derived from the A-6 I ...

s from

VAQ-135 Electronic Attack Squadron 135 (VAQ-135), known as the "Black Ravens", is a United States Navy electronic attack squadron that currently operates the EA-18G Growler carrier-based electromagnetic warfare, electronic warfare jet aircraft. The s ...

and F/A-18s from

VFA-97 Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) is a naval aviation Squadron (aviation), squadron of the United States Navy. It is equipped with the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, F-35C Lightning II and is stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The sq ...

provided

AGM-88 The AGM-88 HARM (High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile) is a tactical, air-to-surface missile, air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally develope ...

support during the strike.Rausa, Zeno
Vinson CVW-11 Report: - "Wings of Gold"
- Association of Naval Aviation - (c/o FindArticles-BNET) - Summer 1999 During the following three months, CVW-11 supported Operation Southern Watch, conducting 15 strikes during this period. On 5 January 1999, two F-14Ds launched two

AIM-54 Phoenix The AIM-54 Phoenix is an American active radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (AAM), carried in clusters of up to six missiles on the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, its only operational launch platform. The AIM-54 Phoenix was the United S ...

missiles against two Iraqi

MiG-25 The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 (; NATO reporting name: Foxbat) is a supersonic interceptor and reconnaissance aircraft that is among the fastest military aircraft to enter service. Designed by the Soviet Union's Mikoyan-Gurevich bureau, it is a ...

s that violated the no-fly zone, as soon as the missiles were launched, the MiGs escaped home and the missiles failed to hit their targets, this was the first use of the missile in combat. On 25 January, three aircraft from VFA-22 and VFA-94 employed the

JSOW The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a glide bomb that resulted from a joint venture between the United States Navy and Air Force to deploy a standardized medium-range precision-guided weapon, especially for engagement of defended targets ...

against a

surface-to-air-missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-a ...

complex which had plagued Coalition aircraft for nine years since the Gulf War, a total of 17 were dropped during missions over Iraq. During the deployment, VFA-22, VFA-94, VFA-97 and VF-213 dropped a total of 41,000 pounds of ordnance on SAM sites and communication sites, and additionally F/A-18s and EA-6Bs fired 20 HARMs. The Air Wing returned home safely in May 1999.

2000s

In 2001 another deployment followed, which was planned to support OSW, but soon after 11 September 2001, ''Carl Vinson'' and CVW-11 departed for the Indian Ocean and aircraft from the air wing as among the first to launch strikes against

Taliban , leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders , leader1_name = {{indented plainlist, * Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013) * Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016) * Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...

and

Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...

forces in Afghanistan in support of

Operation Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...

. After returning home, CVW-11 was reassigned to Cruiser-Destroyer Group Five and in January 2002. The Air Wing bid farewell to the F-14 Tomcat, as VF-213 changed air wings to

Carrier Air Wing Eight Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier Mission The mission of Carrier Air Wing Eight is: " conduct offens ...

VFA-14 Strike Fighter Squadron 14 (VFA-14) "Tophatters" is a United States Navy fighter attack squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. They fly the F/A-18E Super Hornet, and are the Navy's oldest active squadron, having formed in 1919. Their ca ...

and

VFA-41 Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41) also known as the "Black Aces", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet. They are attached to Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9 ...

, who had been part of CVW-8, had transitioned to the

F/A-18 Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are a series of American supersonic twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft derived from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The Super Hornet is in service with the armed forces ...

and were attached to CVW-11, and VFA-22 was sent to

CVW-9 Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Air Wing is currently assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The Tail Code of aircraft assigned to C ...

. CVW-11 made its first deployment with ''Nimitz'' in March 2003 supporting

Operation Iraqi Freedom The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with the invasion by a United States-led coalition, which resulted in the overthrow of the Ba'athist governm ...

, as only the second air wing to deploy Super Hornets. ''Nimitz'' remained on-station until September before returning home in November 2003. After its return, VFA-97 was replaced by

VMFA-232 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 (VMFA-232) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron. Nicknamed the "Red Devils", the squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircra ...

flying the F/A-18C Hornet, and

VS-29 Sea Control Squadron 29 (VS-29) or the "Dragonfires" was a former Sea Control and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) squadron of the US Navy that existed between 1960 and 2004. History As the Tromboners (1960–1975) VS-29 was originally commiss ...

flying the

S-3B Viking The Lockheed S-3 Viking is a four-crew, twin-engine turbofan-powered jet aircraft designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Corporation. Because of its characteristic sound, it was nicknamed the "War Hoover" after t ...

was decommissioned. CVW-11 was among the first air wings deploying as the new "all-Hornet" air wing of the future, which included a flight deck certification of , during her maiden voyage from

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...

, to

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California. In May 2005, CVW-11 deployed on board ''Nimitz'' supporting OIF and OEF and multinational exercises with Japan,

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

and India until November 2005. This deployment was depicted in the documentary film '' Carrier''. In 2007 CVW-11 deployed on board USS ''Nimitz'' for a WESTPAC cruise and participated in Operation Valiant Shield, a joint-force exercise in the vicinity of

Guam Guam ( ; ) is an island that is an Territories of the United States, organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. Guam's capital is Hagåtña, Guam, Hagåtña, and the most ...

. On 18 January 2008, it was announced that CVW-11 would deploy on 24 January to the Pacific for a surge-deployment on board ''Nimitz''. On 11 February, during their 2008 WESTPAC cruise, a Russian

Tu-95 The Tupolev Tu-95 (; NATO reporting name: "Bear") is a large, four-engine turboprop-powered strategic bomber and missile platform. First flown in 1952, the Tu-95 entered service with the Long-Range Aviation of the Soviet Air Forces in 1956 and ...

bomber was intercepted by four F/A-18s as it flew over USS ''Nimitz''. CVN-68/CVW-11 made a port visit to

Busan Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...

, South Korea on 28 February in conjunction with military exercises

Key Resolve Key Resolve, previously known as Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, Integration (RSOI) which was previously known as Team Spirit even earlier, is an annual command post exercise (CPX) held by United States Forces Korea with the Republic of Kore ...

Foal Eagle Foal Eagle () is a combined field training exercise (FTX) conducted annually by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the United States Armed Forces under the auspices of the Combined Forces Command. It is one of the largest military exercises ...

. On 5 March, it was again reported that a Russian bomber overflew ''Nimitz'' off the Korean coast, two F/A-18s were sent up and intercepted the Russian aircraft as it was three to five nautical miles (9 km) from the carrier at an altitude of . On 19 May 2009 just before midnight, an HH-60H helicopter from the air wing crashed into the ocean south of San Diego and about from ''Nimitz''. As of 20 May, three crewmembers were confirmed dead with two more still missing. On 28 July it was announced that CVW-11 and the ''Nimitz'' Strike Group was to depart for a seven-month deployment on 31 July. ''Nimitz'' Strike Group, including CVW-11, departed the States for a scheduled Western Pacific deployment on 31 July 2009, and began to fly combat missions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on 21 September. On 11 June 2012, during carrier qualifications, the air wing commander, Captain Greg Harris, completed his 1000th arrested landing when he flew his

F/A-18F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are a series of American supersonic twinjet, twin-engine, Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft derived from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Ho ...

strike fighter from squadron

VFA-154 Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154), also known as the "Black Knights", is a United States Navy strike fighter squadron stationed at Naval Air Station Lemoore. The Black Knights are an operational fleet squadron flying the F/A-18F Super Horne ...

on board . CVW-11 made two additional deployments aboard ''Nimitz'' in 2013 and 2017, before being reassigned to in 2019. After participating in

Exercise Northern Edge Exercise Northern Edge is a military joint training exercise conducted by the United States Armed Forces in the Gulf of Alaska. Alaskan Command (ALCOM) uses Alaskan training ranges to conduct this operation. History Jack Frost 1975–1979 ...

off

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

in May 2019, CVW-11 was deployed aboard the ''Roosevelt'' in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

Current force

Fixed-wing aircraft

F/A-18E/F Super Hornet The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are a series of American supersonic twinjet, twin-engine, Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-capable, Multirole combat aircraft, multirole fighter aircraft derived from the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Ho ...

EA-18G Growler The Boeing EA-18G Growler is an American aircraft carrier, carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, a specialized version of the two-seat Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet. The EA-18G replaced the Northrop Grumman EA- ...

* E-2D Advanced Hawkeye * CMV-22B Osprey

Rotary wing aircraft

MH-60S Knighthawk The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk) is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant modificati ...

MH-60R Seahawk The Sikorsky SH-60/MH-60 Seahawk (or Sea Hawk) is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission United States Navy helicopter based on the United States Army UH-60 Black Hawk and a member of the Sikorsky S-70 family. The most significant modificati ...

References

External links

CVW-11
- U.S. Navy (Navy.mil)
Focus on Carrier Air Wing 11
- U.S. Navy (Navy.mil)

– Carrier Air Wing Eleven
Carrier Air Wing Eleven
by Rick Llinares - ''Naval Aviation News'' - January–February 2005 {{United States Navy Carrier air wings CVW-11 Military units and formations in California Lemoore, California Military units and formations established in 1963