Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) flew more than 7250 sorties, consisting of approximately 12,747 flight hours with a sortie completion rate of 97 percent during it 2009 WESTPAC deployment. Also, Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71), a new component to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), is the first squadron of its kind to embark on board a carrier as part of a carrier air wing (pictured). The squadron flew more than 4,690 hours with a 95 percent sortie completion rate and earned the right to fly the Enlisted Aviation Warfare Pennant. The highlight for the squadron occurred during the undersea warfare exercise (USWEX) when HSM-71 deployed multiple aircraft to simulate engagements with U.S. and Japanese submarines. The squadron kept three helicopters aloft throughout the entire four-day exercise for a total of 222 flight hours and conducted 28 simulated attacks on two U.S. and two Japanese submarines.
