For the first time in five years, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) (CVN 69) is underway, with the embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7. Team "769" is gearing up for Surge Ready status.

Ike set sail February 14, starting her underway Tailored Ship’s Training Availability (TSTA) -- a series of training evolutions that will conclude with a Final Evaluation Period (FEP).

TSTA is an assessment period when Afloat Training Group (ATG) evaluates shipboard training teams and their ability to conduct training scenarios involving flight operations for the air wing and shipboard drills.

"TSTA signifies the air wing’s return to the ship, and [its] integration to training aboard Ike," said Ike Training Officer Lt. Cmdr. Patrick Martin.

The first phase (of TSTA) assesses navigation, seamanship, engineering, damage control (Chemical, Biological, and Radiological), and other training evolutions.

The next phase emphasizes flight deck operations, combat systems, engineering and damage control tactical and casualty control scenario execution, while maximizing the use of air wing support. By the end of this phase, each of the ship’s training teams should be capable of planning, conducting, evaluating and critiquing within its functional area.

"This is the first step toward integration between Ike and the air wing," said Carrier Air Wing 7 Paddles Officer, Lt. Mark Crowe.

The last phase before the FEP has three main purposes: train the crew on complex unit-phase exercises, prepare for FEP, and continue air wing integration with increased complexity of integration drills.

The final phase is FEP, representing the culmination of the unit-level phase of training. FEP also evaluates the ship’s "within the lifelines" ability to conduct combat missions, support functions, and survive complex casualty control situations. ATG will evaluate all FEP events and assign grades to specific exercises.

Ships completing FEP demonstrate the minimum required skills to proceed to the integrated phase between the air wing and Air Department of the Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP).

Ike’s Air Department plays a major role during the TSTA phases. Not only do they prepare for integration with the air wing, but they are also responsible for training the air wing on emergency procedures, such as barricades and aircraft fires. Team 769 has to rig the barricades in less than four minutes.

The fire drills consist of commencing a rescue, shutting down the plane, simulating an aircraft fire with a dud aircraft, making sure the fire is out by checking for hot spots, and jettisoning the aircraft if the fire is uncontrollable. If the fire is out, they also have to make the aircraft mobile and recover the aircraft.

"TSTA/FEP consists of numerous shipboard exercises that are assessed by ATG, with training ongoing until performance in a particular area is deemed satisfactory," said Martin. "This TSTA/FEP underway period will be very demanding on IKE’s crew and air wing, but culminates with one heck-of-a-reward: IKE and CVW-7 will be Emergency Surge Ready!"

(Aero-News salutes Photographer's Mate Airman Apprentice Scott Wojciechowski, USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Public Affairs)

FMI: www.news.navy.mil/local/cvn69/