Sri Lankan delegation visits USS Carl Vinson
 

A Sri Lankan delegation, which included the Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy, Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera and senior SLN officers, visited the USS Carl Vinson (CVN90), which is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the United States Navy, on 19^th April 2015. The ship was returning to her home port after deployment in the Gulf.

The delegation flew from the Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo in a C 2 transport/ rescue aircraft and landed on the USS Carl Vinson approximately 225 nm off the coast of Sri Lanka. She was moving to Hawaii with the Carrier Battle Group 1.

The delegation was received onboard by the Commanding Officer Captain Karl O. Thomas and Rear Admiral Christopher Grady, the Commander Carrier Strike Group 1.

After discussing the areas of mutual interest and visiting the ship, the delegation witnessed the versatility of its striker aircraft with combat maneuver exercises and also the exercises by the Anti-Submarine Warfare helicopters and the capabilities of her rescue aircraft.

Through the stunning and bearing maneuvers by the onboard aircraft, the ship amply demonstrated her inherent capabilities to carry out missions required to ensure supremacy of air power in any battle space. It also displayed the ability to deliver the right balance and presence necessary to carry out missions in the present day war theatre.

The visit can be considered as a leap in the relationship with the two Navies and will certainly help ensure further cooperation in the field of maritime security. It also reflects the confidence the two countries have in facing common threats together.