Argonauts embarked USS Carl Vinson
Early August 2021, F-35C Lightning II fighters from Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 Argonauts ('NE-4xx') joined Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2 aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) on their first-ever forward deployment.
The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CVCSG), led by Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 1, deployed from her homeport San Diego (CA) on 2 August 2021 in support of global maritime security operations. CVCSG will begin their deployment by taking part in Large Scale Exercise 2021 (LSE 2021).
Next to the F-35C, the deployment also marks the first time that a carrier strike group is deploying with the CMV-22B Osprey.
In August 2020, Scramble Magazine reported on CVW 2 starting training for the first F-35C operational deployment. At that time, the Vinson completed a seventeen-month maintenance period in which the ship was prepared for the US Navy’s first F-35C Lighting II deployment.
The following squadrons have been added to the wing:
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Photos by US Navy