GW, CVW-5 Finish COE, Ready for Summer Deployment

Story Number: NNS090603-12
Release Date: 6/3/2009 1:56:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class John J. Mike, USS George Washington Public Affairs

ABOARD USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (NNS) -- USS George Washington (CVN 73) and embarked Carrier Airwing (CVW) 5 successfully completed a combat operations efficiency (COE) evaluation June 2.

The COE certification, sometimes called a "blue-water certification," allows the ship and airwing team to launch and recover aircraft without the requirement for a divert airfield if operationally necessary.

"The Airwing 5, George Washington team came together to complete this evaluation better and sooner than anyone expected following our extended maintenance period," said GW Commanding Officer Capt. David A Lausman. "That success is truly a testament to the hard work and professionalism of all of the 5,000 Sailors on board, from the aircraft directors on the flight deck to the helmsmen steering the ship and from the maintainers keeping our aircraft flying to the culinary specialists preparing our food in our galleys.

"That teamwork is what makes us America's 911 strike group, fully ready to go anywhere in the world to execute the orders of the president of the United States."

Excerpt. Read more at Navy.mil.