USS Carl Vinson Strike Group Arrives in Malaysia
THE United States Navy’s nuclear-powered Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Carl Vinson and its Carrier Strike Group (CSG) arrived in Malaysia’s Port Klang, marking the second visit by a US Navy carrier group after the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group visited Klang just last month.
The Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group comprises the USS Carl Vinson with embarked elements of CSG-1 and Destroyer Squadron-One (DESRON), Carrier Air Wing (CVW) Two, the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton, along with a pair of Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Sterett and USS William P. Lawrence. CVW-2 is made up of nine squadrons with the F-35C Lightning IIs, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, EA-18G Growlers, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, CMV-22 Osprey tiltrotors and MH-60R/S Sea Hawk helicopters. With close to 7,500 personnel embarked, the sailors will take part in cultural exchanges, community relations events, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR)-sponsored tours to enhance cultural understanding and cooperation between the two countries.
US ambassador to Malaysia, Edgard Kagan said, “The back-to-back visits of the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and the USS Abraham Lincoln to Malaysia underscore the depth and strength of our security ties—an enduring cornerstone of the U.S.-Malaysia Comprehensive Partnership. Building on decades of close collaboration, we continue to bolster our security partnership and remain committed to working with Malaysia to advance our shared vision of a free, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
Commander of CSG-1 Rear Admiral Michael Wosje added, “Malaysia is a key partner for us in the Indo-Pacific. Our visit reinforces the importance of this partnership to the United States. Visiting Port Klang provides us with an important and unique opportunity to collaborate with our Royal Malaysian Navy counterparts, continuing to build upon our strategic and mutually beneficial partnership, while also providing our Sailors well-deserved downtime to explore the area and build connections within the community.”
On November 23, the USS Abraham Lincoln and its CSG dropped anchor in Port Klang, the first visit by an American aircraft carrier in a dozen years. Ambassador Kagan remarked on the occasion, “This historic visit reaffirms Malaysia’s importance to the United States. It highlights our shared commitment to regional stability and Malaysian sovereignty, providing an invaluable opportunity for collaboration between our navies and key leaders.”-shp/adj/dl (Pix:DVIDS, USEKL)