Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group conducts training

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group conducted an air defense exercise to improve mission readiness, the U.S. Navy announced on Monday.

During the exercise, the strike group was tasked with protecting the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan from simulated airborne threats at sea. This marks the first time the strike group worked in this type of environment.

The ADEX was performed over a two day period, from September 23 to September 24. Participants included the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Preble, the Ronald Reagan Carrier Air Wing 5, and other squadron entities.

Lt. j.g. Kevin Jacobi, Chencellorville's air defense officer, commended the performance.

"There was a lot of integration between everybody," Jacobi said, "aside from the ships and air wing, we had Electronic Attack Squadron 132, Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack SquadronVMFA 224, and an Air Force B-52 squadron all participating in the exercise."

The ADEX involved more than 30 aircraft divided into red air, meaning hostile threats, and blue air, meaning the strike group's air defense force.

"The air support provided by the red and blue air allowed us to successfully simulate the actual engagements," Jacobi added, "the aircrews were able to work on their proficiency and meet different mission objectives."

The USS Ronald Reagan was first launched in March 2001, and commissioned in 2003.