Carrier Air Wing 17 (CVW-17) deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson (GVN 70) on August 22, 2014. After a two-month transit that consisted of unit-level training (ULT) missions and Operation Valiant Shield, GVW-17 began daily combat operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The daily operational tempo consisted of 75 sorties, encompassing combat sorties, ULT and organic tankers. While the operational tempo was consistent with a standard deployment, the rate of engine foreign object damage (FOD) removals was disproportionally high. Leadership suspected that traditional FOD prevention measures were proving insufficient. Unconventional mitigations would be required to minimize the risks associated with FOD.
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