USS Ronald Reagan returns to Yokosuka following 7th Fleet deployment
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The aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan has concluded its seven-month deployment to U.S. 7th Fleet, returning to its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, Friday.
The carrier got underway in May — just six months after it returned from its previous deployment — to promote stability in the Indo-Pacific and operate with allies and partners in the region.
Altogether, embarked Carrier Air Wing 5 racked up more than 17,635 flight hours and participated in Exercise Valiant Shield 2022 near Guam with more than 13,000 joint force personnel.
Additionally, the ship operated in the South China Sea in July and August, and teamed up with Republic of Korea forces for the Maritime Counter Special Operations Exercise near South Korea in September.
USS Ronald Reagan moves into South China Sea for the first time this year
“Every step of Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group’s 2022 patrol was marked by critical and highly valuable coordination with our allies,” said Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, commander of Task Force 70 and Carrier Strike Group 5, in a Navy news release. “We enjoyed the opportunity to conduct extensive, integrated operations and exercises with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), Republic of Korea Navy, and Royal Australian Navy, sailing side-by-side and integrating liaison officers onto our ships and amongst our crews.”
The carrier briefly returned to Yokosuka in August for maintenance before departing again on Sept. 12. The carrier will now enter a sustainment period, poised to redeploy at a moment’s notice, the Navy said.
The Reagan’s carrier strike group included Carrier Air Wing 5, guided-missile cruisers Antietam and Chancellorsville, along with crew and staff from Destroyer Squadron 15, and staff from Carrier Strike Group 5.
The carrier completed a five-month deployment in 2021, in which it operated in 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet to support the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan.
