Carrier Strike Group Eight

Commander, Carrier Strike Group Eight, abbreviated as CCSG-8 or COMCARSTRKGRU 8, is one of five U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. Carrier strike groups gain and maintain sea control as well as project naval airpower ashore.

The current group flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69). The other units of the group are USS Hué City (CG-66), USS Farragut (DDG-99), USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG-81), Carrier Air Wing Seven, and the ships of Destroyer Squadron 28: USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109), USS Elrod (FFG-55), USS Ramage (DDG-61), USS Mitscher (DDG-57), USS Cole (DDG-67), USS Donald Cook (DDG-75), and USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98).

History
During 1994, USS Hue City (CG-66) was a unit of Carrier Group Eight. During 1999, the previous Carrier Group Eight's flagship was Eisenhower.

In May and June 1998, Vella Gulf completed a two-month BALTOPS Cruise, taking part in the 26th annual maritime exercise U.S. Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) '98 in the Western Baltic Sea from 8–19 June 1998. During the exercise, Commander, Carrier Group Eight, commanded the exercise from the ship.

From November 2001, at the commencement of Multinational Interception Force (MIF) operations in the Persian Gulf, Royal Australian Navy ships came under the control ('chopped to the OPCON') of Commander Carrier Group Eight, Rear Admiral Mark P. Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald was also serving as Commander Task Force 50 (CTF 50) embarked in the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71).

The group was established by redesignation of the former Carrier Group Eight on 1 October 2004.

The Strike Group deployed on 2 January 2010 to the Middle East to help with operations by the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleets.

Effective 1 October 2012, when not deployed, Carrier Strike Group Eight is part of the U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and its commander reports to Commander Task Force 80, the director of Fleet Forces' Maritime Headquarters. Carrier Strike Group Eight is designated Task Group 80.3.

Carrier Air Wing
Carrier Air Wing Seven comprises:
 * Strike Fighter Squadron 83, (VFA-83)
 * Strike Fighter Squadron 103, (VFA-103)
 * Strike Fighter Squadron 131, (VFA-131)
 * Strike Fighter Squadron 143, (VFA-143)
 * Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121, (VAW-121)
 * Electronic attack Squadron 140, (VAQ-140)
 * Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 Det. 3, (VRC-40)
 * Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron 5, (HS-5)
 * Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 72, (HSM-72)

Aircraft operated

 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * F/A-18 Hornet
 * E-2C Hawkeye
 * EA-6B Prowler
 * C-2A Greyhound
 * SH-60F Seahawk
 * MH-60R Seahawk