Recently, Combat Air Crew 6 (CAC-6) of Patrol Squadron One participated in the Composite Training Unit Exercise, or COMPTUEX, for the USS Carl Vinson Aircraft Carrier Strike Group. The exercise involved multiple ships such as destroyers, frigates, guided-missile cruisers and the USS Carl Vinson. The setting was sunny Southern California and the waters off the coast.

The P-3C brings a host of capabilities to the fight and to be a fully qualified combat aircrew, part of the training process involves real-world scenarios such as flying and working with ships, other aircraft and submarines.

COMPTUEX provided an ideal environment as well as an opportunity to complete the remainder of CAC-6’s qualification process. VP-1 continues to send aircrews to Southern California to participate in these exercises so that they may receive quality training and to become fully integrated into the Carrier Strike Groups and Expeditionary Strike Groups prior to their deployment.