Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman toured the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt underway in the Gulf today. Prince Mohammed, who also serves as Defense Minister, was briefed on the capabilities and operating procedures of the ship and its embarked air wing and he observed aviation operations on the 97,000 ton supercarrier’s 4.5 acre flight deck. Rear Admiral Andrew Lewis, who commands “Strike Group 12″ including the carrier, its embarked air wing and its escort vessels, briefed Prince Mohammed “on its administrative organizational structure, operating systems, radar technology used and remote sensing instruments in addition to a briefing about Theodore Roosevelt’s daily combat operations management” according to SPA.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was named as Defense Minister in January when his father, then Crown Prince Salman, succeeded King Abdullah who died on January 23, 2015. Mohammed was named Deputy Crown Prince April 29 when Crown Prince Muqrin stepped down and then Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef (Interior Minister) moved up to become heir apparent. Crown Prince Mohammed also serves as head of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs. Salman who as Defense Minister directs the Saudi Arabian led coalition combat operations in Yemen has been active in Saudi foreign policy, traveling in recent months to Washington (US-GCC Summit with Crown Prince Mohammed),Moscow and Paris for consultations and signing of major bilateral agreements.
The Virginia-based USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group entered the Red Sea in April on a routine deployment to the Navy’s Fifth Fleet (US Naval Forces Central Command “area of responsibility”). The carrier is the centerpiece of the United States Navy’s role in Operation “Inherent Resolve,” the coalition air strikes against ISIS (Daesh). The Fifth Fleet’s role in the region was recently highlighted in reports about maritime operations surrounding the turmoil in Yemen, especially when Iran dispatched navy units to the Gulf of Aden.
The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt’s air wing, Carrier Wing One, includes nine aviation squadrons consisting of aircraft fulling a variety of roles: fighter/attack (US Navy and US Marine F/A-18 Hornets), airborne early warning, airborne electronic warfare, logistics and helicopters.
SUSRIS, 8 July 2015

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Visits USS Theodore Roosevelt