YOKOSUKA, Japan – The forward-deployed aircraft carrier,
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) returned to Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka, May
17, after completing sea trials.
The seven-day evolution measured the crew’s ability to operate critical systems
and perform underway operational evolutions following an extensive selected restricted
availability (SRA).
“The ship performed remarkably well as we put her through the required steps,”
said Capt. Buzz Donnelly, Ronald Reagan’s commanding officer. “The crew’s training
and preparation was a primary factor during all of the evolutions, and they should feel
very good about the fact that they came in well-prepared and executed as well as they
did.”
During sea trials, Ronald Reagan’s crew performed major evaluations, including
the execution of high-speed turns, sea and anchor evolutions, precision anchoring trials,
testing of countermeasure wash-down and aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) systems
and testing of the ship’s self-defense weapons system.
“I think we came out of this pretty successful,” said Damage Controlman 3rd
Class Makayla Medrano, from El Paso, Texas. “We received a bunch of new equipment
that needed to be tested. Repair lockers are being stocked. Sea trials were a good chance
to make sure all our equipment is ready to go.”
Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready
force that protects and defends the collective maritime interests of its allies and partners
in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.