CSG-22

• Origins and Designation: Carrier Strike Group 22 (CSG-22) is not an officially recognized US Navy carrier strike group. However, the designation is sometimes informally referenced in naval exercises or alternate order of battle scenarios. • Possible Confusion: The number 22 is more commonly associated with Carrier Air Wing 22 (CVW-22), which was an operational air wing during the Cold War, rather than a strike group. • Historical Deployments: There have been instances where ad hoc or temporary strike groups have been formed for specific exercises, and the number 22 might have been used in such contexts for command and control purposes during large fleet operations. • International Exercises: Designations like CSG-22 have occasionally appeared in multinational exercises such as RIMPAC or NATO drills to represent notional or composite forces. • Royal Navy Connection: The Royal Navy operates a unit called Carrier Strike Group (CSG), but they do not use the “22” designation for their groups. HMS Illustrious (R06) once led a task group known as Task Group 22 during the 1980s. • Fictional and Training Scenarios: CSG-22 is sometimes seen in war games, simulations, and tabletop exercises as a placeholder or “red team” unit, rather than an actual US fleet formation. • US Navy’s Real CSGs: The US Navy’s active carrier strike groups are typically numbered 1 through 15, with some exceptions for historical designations like CSG-9 and CSG-10. • Publications and Reports: Occasionally, defense analysis reports or academic papers will invent a CSG-22 to illustrate force projection or strategic mobility in theoretical scenarios. • CSG Numbering: The US Navy assigns strike group numbers based on the homeport or legacy of its assigned aircraft carrier, which is why numbers above 15 are rare and not currently in use. • Legacy of Number 22: The number “22” has had a long association with US Navy destroyer squadrons (DESRON 22) and amphibious groups, creating occasional confusion in historical records and online sources.