The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman is back at sea conducting routine operations after a week or so in port in Greece for repairs. Truman collided with the cargo ship M/V Besiktas-M in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Egypt’s Port Said earlier this month.
The Navy announced today that Truman is now conducting routine operations in the Mediterranean after leaving Greece’s Souda Bay yesterday following a so-called Emergent Repair Availability (ERAV). The carrier first arrived in Souda Bay for the ERAV, which was immediately preceded by a more comprehensive damage assessment, on Feb. 16. The collision, which occurred on Feb. 12, had caused damage to various parts of the aft starboard end of the flattop, as you can read more about here.
“Led by Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC), Truman completed the five-day ERAV at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece,” according to a Navy press release. “In an all-hands effort, Sailors worked with FDRMC personnel, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and local industry partner Theodoropoulos Group to assess damage, develop a repair plan, and restore weathertight integrity to the ship following the collision on Feb. 12.”
“FDRMC is focused on keeping our forward-deployed naval forces mission-ready across 5th and 6th Fleets, maintaining critical combat readiness for the ships and their Sailors,” Navy Capt. Mollie Bily, the FDRMC’s commanding officer, said in a statement. “The rapid repair effort on Truman was a testament to our expeditionary maintenance expertise and the exceptional collaboration with our Norfolk Naval Shipyard teammates and industry partners.”
The Navy has not yet released any details about the cost of these repairs or of the total damage Truman sustained in the collision. What additional repairs might still be required and what the timeline might be for conducting that work is unknown. TWZ has reached for more information.
“Our ship remains operationally ready to complete deployment with mission and purpose on full display by the entire crew,” Navy Capt. Christopher Hill, Truman‘s commanding officer, also said in a statement. “We are out here launching and recovering aircraft, ready to ‘Give ‘em Hell’ with combat credible power.”
Also known by his callsign “Chowdah,” Hill took command of the Truman on Feb. 20 after the Navy relieved Capt. Dave Snowden “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command” following the collision. An investigation into the incident remains underway.
Hill had previously commanded the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower during a deployment between November 2023 and June 2024 that included months of intense combat in and around the Red Sea. You can learn more about that cruise in our exclusive interview with Hill.
Prior to the collision, Truman and its embarked air wing, as well as the rest of its strike group, had also been conducting operations in and around the Red Sea.
“Since deploying, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 has flown over 5,500 sorties, including two self-defense strikes into Houthi-controlled Yemen territory and a large force strike against ISIS-Somalia targets in Northeast Somalia in coordination with U.S. Africa Command,” according to today’s Navy release. “The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group continues to provide maritime security and regional stability in support of its component commanders.”
TWZ has previously highlighted the importance of getting Truman, the only U.S. carrier currently in the region, back on station as quickly as possible to avoid any major operational impacts.
In addition, performing even limited no-notice repairs at Souda Bay could have provided the Navy with useful data to help refine and improve procedures for handling battle damage on forward-deployed ships. The service’s current capacity, or lack thereof, to readily repair battle-damaged ships has been a particular area of concern for years now, especially in the context of preparing for a future high-end fight, such as one against China in the Pacific.
Whatever repairs Truman might still require, the carrier is now back conducting routine operations.
Contact the author: joe@twz.com