The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt was sent to Alaska by the US Navy in May as part of Exercise Northern Edge.It was the first carrier to participate in the exercise for 10 years, and it took part in 2019.These trips are a result of the Navy's growing focus on the Arctic, and its efforts to get back to operations up there.10 Things in Politics: Keep up to date with the latest news in politics and the economy. Loading Click Sign up to receive marketing emails and other offers from Insider.Petty officer 2nd class Austin Moore works in hot, exhausting conditions and under dangerous circumstances. His job is to launch and recover aircraft from USS Theodore Roosevelt's flight deck.Moore regularly deploys to the Indo-Pacific, where warm weather and steam from catapults add to the heat. Nighttime operations make Moore's complicated duties even more difficult.The flattop arrived in the Gulf of Alaska early May for Northern Edge 2021, a two-week exercise that involved 15,000 sailors, marines, and airmen Moore was looking forward to wrapping up a six month deployment in unfamiliar surroundings, bundled up against the cold, and preparing for operations in an area where the sun barely sets during this time of the year.Two F/A-18 Super Hornets are launched from the USS Theodore Roosevelt on April 29, 2021. US Navy/MCS3 Erik MelgarMoore stated to Insider that having the opportunity to see daylight every day meant we were always in our game and always one step ahead.The Navy's increased presence in the Arctic and Russian activity prompted the carrier's journey.Retired Navy Commander, Elaine Luria is one of the lawmakers who have sought to increase US military focus on the region.Luria and other legislators presented a bill last month that required the Pentagon to conduct an Arctic security assessment. They would also need to develop a five year plan to provide the resources needed to meet specific strategic needs in the area.Luria stated in a statement that the Arctic was where military conflict and free trade would be resolved.Building up core knowledgeDuring Exercise Northern Edge 2021 on May 7, 2021, Sailors observe flight operations aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt. US Navy/MCS2 Zachary WheelerThe fleet has to develop sailors' muscle memory in order to operate in these increasingly accessible waters. This has important implications."We haven’t had sailors operating in these areas since late '80s since the end of Cold War," stated Lt. Alex Morgan (Theodore Roosevelt's assistant navigator).Morgan, who plans the carrier’s movements, said, "So it's really essential that we capture these experiences." "One of the great things about the fleet is that we won't stay in one place for very long. We'll be moving around the fleet in ships and squadrons within a few years."During Exercise Northern Edge 2021 (May 7, 2021), Sailors move ordnance along the flight deck USS Theodore Roosevelt US Navy/MCS Seaman Hayden BurnsThe crew of Theodore Roosevelt has had a turbulent 16-months.One chief petty officer was killed in a COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. The carrier was then left without a commanding officer for several weeks. Brett Crozier. After his comments to the crew at a visit, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modley was forced to resign.Although the carrier made a brief return to San Diego, it was only in summer 2020. After a "double-pump" deployment, the carrier, along with about 3,000 crew members, are now switching homeports from San Diego to Bremerton in Washington.Puget Sound Naval Shipyard will maintain the flattop, including an upgrade that will allow the flight deck to carry the F-35C.The crew's chaotic time in Alaska was over and they were faced with new challenges: low visibility, strong winds, long supply lines and marine wildlife.Morgan stated that all of the planning was done when we were operating off Guam's coast. This was a completely different experience with high temperatures and humidity. "In a matter of weeks, we went from sweating at each step to being bundled up and able to see our breath on the bridge. It was definitely a mental shift.The USS Theodore Roosevelt launches an E-2C Hawkeye during Northern Edge 2021 on May 3, 2021. Terence Deleon Guerrero, US Navy/MCS3Theodore Roosevelt was also a participant in Northern Edge 2019, which was the first time that a carrier has done so in ten years. Morgan and others stated that they learned a lot from this experience.Morgan, who took part in the exercise this year for the first time, said that 2019's carrier was less powerful. "We needed to be closer to shore. Because our pilots were licensed to fly farther from the land, we had more flexibility.Crew members were amazed at how many times they saw dolphins and whales while training for the Navy to work around marine wildlife.Morgan stated, "We had to pay attention to where we were operating and be aware of what was happening."According to Capt. Eric Anduze was Theodore Roosevelt's commanding officers. The priority was to keep sailors warm, which included reducing rotations to "maintain awareness"Anduze stated that "when you live in a floating box of metal, it really permeates through your skin and makes everything extremely cold."During exercise Northern Edge 2021 (May 4, 2021), Sailors signal F/A-18E Super Hornets before they launch from USS Theodore Roosevelt. US Navy/MCS Seaman Eduardo TorresAn individual in cold water can only survive for 20 minutes, according to Ensign Jorge Miguel (a bridge officer on the deck). This leaves little time to maneuver the ship and provide resources for rescue and search if someone is lost.Miguel stated, "You don’t want to wait twenty minutes." Miguel said, "By then it is too late."Anduze stated that a lingering storm system caused days of low visibility which made it difficult to launch an aircraft.Miguel stated that operations slowed down but did not stop and that low visibility made extravigilance necessary.Miguel stated, "If you can't see out the window or see any contacts out here, then you need to rely on radars to see what's in front of your eyes and make the best decisions with what you have."Morgan stated that pilots were also affected by poor weather, which forced them to take a detour to an Air Force base inland. The crew didn't want to leave pilots stranded overnight because of the ongoing pandemic.US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt was seen in the Gulf of Alaska during Exercise Northern Edge 20,21 on May 7, 2021. US Navy/MCS3 Nicholas HuynhMorgan stated, "One of the best things about being an airline carrier is that you can always move it, but it was so thick that we had to delay recovery for several hours.""That was a lot work between our air division [and] our meteorologists aboard. Morgan said that they were working with the strike team and trying to find a position for the ship so we can recover the aircraft before sunset.Moore, who was onboard for the 2019 exercise, stated that longer days meant more light on board the flight deck. However, they also made it harder to rest. The Navy has a serious readiness problem with sleep deprivation.Miguel found the experience challenging partly because it was new. However, he believes novelty should not be an obstacle.It doesn't matter if we are in Alaska, Fifth Fleet, or Seventh Fleet. He stated that they should be able execute the training and apply it accordingly.
