Summer Pulse 2004 (SP04) was the codename for a worldwide surge deployment that served as the first full-scale test of the United States Navy's then-new Fleet Response Plan (FRP).

[Note 2][12][13][14][15] During this inter-fleet transfer, several squadrons of Carrier Air Wing Eleven (CVW-11) were temporarily embarked on board the Ronald Reagan.

[13] The principal purpose for embarking these CVW-11 squadrons was to complete their training evolutions prior to the strike group's first Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment.

[14] On 17 June 2004, two Super Étendard jet fighters and three S-2T Turbo Trackers antisubmarine aircraft from Argentine Naval Aviation carried out touch-and-go landings on the Reagan's flight deck during Gringo-Gaucho exercises (pictured).

[16] The Reagan also participated in a SIFOREX (Silent Forces) exercise with the Peruvian Navy prior to its port visit to Callao, Peru, on 9 July 2004.

[19][20] Reagan subsequently paid port visits to Valparaíso, Chile, and Callao, Peru, before arriving at its new homeport of Naval Air Station North Island, California, on 23 July 2004, having changed its operational control ("chop") to the U.S. Third Fleet.

Coordinating the complex command and control links encompassing land, amphibious, air and maritime forces was one of the exercise's wins.

The carrier strike group paid a port visit to Malta between 26 and 30 June 2004, before transiting the Suez Canal from 2–3 July 2004, joining the U.S. Fifth Fleet.

[24] On 24 May 2004, Carrier Group 7, led by John C. Stennis, departed Naval Station San Diego, California, for its 2004 Western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployment as part of Summer Pulse 2004.

[34] On 16 February 2004, the George Washington carrier strike group completed a 16-hour transit of the Suez Canal and entered the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of responsibility.

[36][37] On 9 April 2004, a second port visit to Jebel Ali was cancelled, and the George Washington carrier strike group was ordered to remain on station in the Persian Gulf after fighting intensified between Coalition Forces and insurgents around the city of Fallujah in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar.

[39] On 25 April 2004, the George Washington carrier strike group steamed back to the Persian Gulf after terrorists attacked the Khor Al Amaya Oil Terminal (KAAOT) off the coast of Basra, Iraq.

The strike group also provided search, rescue, and recovery support in the aftermath of the boarding incident involving the U.S. patrol ship Firebolt.

[41][42][43] During its nearly five-month deployment to the Fifth Fleet, the George Washington carrier strike group spent 231 days away from home port and steamed 70,750 nautical miles.

Carrier Air Wing Seven (CVW-7) amassed nearly 8,800 sorties, including 1,500 in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, expended approximately 164,000 pounds (74,389 kg) of ordnance, and flew more than 21,000 flight hours.

[50] On 2 June 2004, the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, including the nuclear-powered submarine Albuquerque,[5][51] departed Naval Station Norfolk, deploying to the Mediterranean Sea as part of Summer Pulse 2004.

[63][64] Operation Medshark/Majestic Eagle involved more than 20,000 personnel, almost 150 aircraft, and 30 ships from 10 nations led by the carriers Enterprise, Principe De Asturias, Truman, and Giuseppe Garibaldi.

[72][76][77] The combat stores ships Concord supported both carrier strike groups, delivering 2,576 cargo pallets during the months of July and August.

JASEX 04 also included training to improve interoperability and teamwork between the two carrier strike groups, as well as with land-based Air Force and Marine Corps units forward deployed to in the Western Pacific.

Typhoon Rananim complicated the exercise, causing the two carrier strike groups to re-deploy 600 nautical miles (1,100 km) east to the Iwo Jima operating area.

He also characterized Summer Pulse 2004 as a "modern rerun of 19th century gunboat diplomacy" directed at the People's Republic of China and timed for the upcoming 2004 U.S. presidential election that "sounds like a last hurrah of the neocons.

"[91] Johnson also asserted that all seven U.S. Navy carrier strike groups were being deployed to the Chinese coast near Taiwan, prompting the Los Angeles Times to issue the following correction on 4 August 2004: Although there was some congressional criticism,[7] the Fleet Response Plan remains the operational cornerstone for United States Navy in the early 21st century, with Summer Pulse 2004 being its first operational test.

All required maintenance, training, evaluations, plus a single eight-month overseas deployment will be scheduled throughout this 36-month cycle in order to reduce costs while increasing overall fleet readiness.