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NEWS | March 24, 2021

Roosevelt begins Mobility Air Qualifications

By ENS Amy Skaggs, USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) Public Affairs

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) began Mobility Air Qualifications (MOB-A) with embarked Helicopter Maritime Squadron (HSM) 79.1 the week of March 15, 2021.

This two week certification period serves to ensure all flight team members are properly trained to conduct safe and efficient flight operations. Roosevelt’s upcoming patrol marks the first opportunity for the crew to work alongside HSM 79.1 which makes this assessment particularly beneficial for training purposes.

Roosevelt’s Second Lieutenant, Ensign Arianna Mir, is confident in the crew’s ability to qualify. “Everyone has done a great job of showing motivation and dedication,” said Mir. “Afloat Training Group (ATG) is impressed with what we have been able to do in such a short amount of time.”

The flight deck crew was tested on their equipment and ability to perform their respective job by ATG Norfolk. The rigorous certification curriculum includes an assessment of Roosevelt’s damage control training program to verify the crew’s proficiency in responding to various aircraft-related casualties.

“Roosevelt’s ability to safely launch and recover aircraft increases our anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities immensely,” said Cmdr. Ryan Kendall, commanding officer of Roosevelt. “This opportunity to integrate HSM 79.1 with our flight team onboard provides invaluable training as Roosevelt prepares for mission accomplishment during Patrol 2.”

Roosevelt is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated and Air Missile Defense architecture. These Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Europe (FDNF-E) ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.

U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security in Europe and Africa.