When the Pentagon announced that the Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) will extend its cruise by another month to support Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), the U.S. Navy was also scrambling to find spare parts to keep the strike fighters in Carrier Air Wing 7 flying.
By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Torrey W. Lee [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
In the end, three squadrons were identified to provide the spare parts, commodore of Strike Fighter Wing Atlantic, Capt. Randy Stearns, told lawmakers on May 26.
Stearns also disclosed that previously, the naval warfare service branch was able to surge a reserve air wing in 90 days, this has stretched to at least six months.
“There’s nothing to pull from in the back,” Stearns told seapower chair Rep. Randy Forbes in response to a question.
“We’ve already pulled everything forward. There’s nothing left.”