As predicted, the USS Ronald Reagan got underway on time Saturday morning. There’s a good article here in the SD U/T which also touches on the FRP that some had questions on:

The Reagan deployment is the first real-world test of the Navy’s four-year-old Fleet Response Plan, designed to make most of the 12-ship carrier fleet available for use on short notice.

“We stay in a state of readiness now,” said Capt. Terry Kraft, the Reagan’s commanding officer.

During and after the Cold War, the Navy operated its aircraft carrier battle groups on a highly structured cycle of training, deployment and repair that typically kept only two or three of the 12-ship fleet at sea simultaneously. Sailors could count on a six-month cruise every other year.

Navy leaders crafted the Fleet Response Plan after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, speeding up training and overhaul time to make as many as six carriers available on 30 days’ notice, and two more available in 90 days. They tested it 2½ years ago with an exercise called Summer Pulse ‘04, which sent seven flattops to sea at the same time.

And I got this pic through the service pipe - it was a beautiful day to get underway.

Fair winds and following seas, bubbas.