Composite Training Unit Exercise

COMPTUEX, or Composite Training Unit Exercise, is a rehearsal each US Navy Carrier Strike Group performs before departing for deployment. Each ship and aircraft in the battle group trains in its specialty; COMPTUEX brings ships together to project force as a battle group. COMPTUEX is an intermediate-level battle group exercise designed to forge together the battle group and its components into a fully functional fighting team. COMPTUEX is a critical part in the training pre-deployment.



Each carrier battle group performs a rehearsal called Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX) before departing for a six-month deployment. Over the previous several months, each ship and aircraft in the battle group has trained in its specialty. COMPTUEX brings ships together to project force as a battle group. COMPTUEX is an intermediate-level battle group exercise designed to forge the battle group into a cohesive, fighting team. It’s a critical step in the pre-deployment training cycle and a prerequisite for the battle group’s Joint Task Force Exercise.

COMPTUEX is normally conducted during a two-week to three-week period six to eight weeks before deployment. Successfully completion of COMTPUEX certifies the carrier and its air wing as qualified for open ocean operations. COMPTUEX consists of an 18-day schedule of even driven exercise which the follows with a three-day Final Battle Problem. It is conducted and directed by the training carrier group commander and the focus is to bring together the carrier and its air wing as a working team that can operate in a combat environment, as well as integrating with other assets of the battle group.