Editing USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) (section)

===1979 to 1998===
In May 1979, the ship teamed up with [[Carrier Air Wing Fifteen|Carrier Air Wing 15 (CVW-15)]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.seaforces.org/usnair/CVW/Carrier-Air-Wing-15.htm |title=CVW-15 Carrier Air Wing 15 CARAIRWING FIFTEEN - US Navy |website=Seaforces Online - Naval Information |publisher=seaforces.org |access-date=22 April 2019}}</ref> for another Western Pacific deployment. Her duties included search and assistance operations to aid [[Boat people#Vietnamese boat people|refugees in small boats]] fleeing the [[Socialist Republic of Vietnam]].

During that deployment, ''Kitty Hawk'' also offered contingency support off the coast of [[Korea]] following the assassination of [[Republic of Korea]] President [[Park Chung Hee]]. The deployment was then extended {{frac|2|1|2}} months to support contingency operations in the North Arabian Sea during the [[Iran hostage crisis]]. For their actions in the region, ''Kitty Hawk'' and CVW-15 were awarded the [[Navy Expeditionary Medal]].
[[File:Kitty Hawk Sydney 02.JPG|thumb|''Kitty Hawk'' docked in Sydney harbor]]
[[File:Kitty Hawk Sydney 01.JPG|thumb|The dual [[close-in weapon systems]] ([[Phalanx CIWS|Phalanxs]]) at the stern of ''Kitty Hawk'']]

''Kitty Hawk'' had a [[cameo appearance]] in the 1980 movie ''[[The Final Countdown (film)|The Final Countdown]]'', standing in for {{USS|Nimitz|CVN-68|2}}. On her way home from her Western Pacific deployment, ''Kitty Hawk'' was filmed entering [[Naval Station Pearl Harbor|Pearl Harbor]] with the crew [[manning the rail]]s as the ship passed the [[USS Arizona Memorial|USS ''Arizona'' Memorial]]. (At the time of the filming, ''Nimitz'' was still an Atlantic Fleet, vice Pacific Fleet, aircraft carrier.) ''Kitty Hawk'' returned to San Diego in late February 1980 and was also awarded the [[Meritorious Unit Commendation]] and the Naval Air Force Pacific [[Battle Efficiency Award|Battle Efficiency "E" Award]] as the best carrier in the Pacific Fleet.

In April 1981, ''Kitty Hawk'' left San Diego for her thirteenth deployment to the Western Pacific. Following the cruise, the crew was awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Humanitarian Service Medal for the rescue of Vietnamese refugees in the [[South China Sea]].

In January 1982, ''Kitty Hawk'' returned to Bremerton for another year-long overhaul. Following the comprehensive upgrade and a vigorous training period with [[CVW-2|Carrier Air Wing 2]], ''Kitty Hawk'' deployed in 1984 as the flagship for Battle Group Bravo. ''Kitty Hawk'' logged more than {{convert|62000|mi|km|abbr=on}} <!-- nautical or statute? --> on this deployment and remained at "Station Gonzo" in the north [[Arabian Sea]] for more than 60 consecutive days.

In March 1984, ''Kitty Hawk'' participated in "Team Spirit" exercises in the [[Sea of Japan]]. The Soviet [[Victor class submarine|Victor-class]] nuclear attack [[submarine]] [[Soviet submarine K-314|''K-314'']] shadowed the task group. On 21 March 1984, at the end of the Sea of Japan part of the exercise, ''K-314'' surfaced directly in front of ''Kitty Hawk'', time was 22:05, too dark and far too close for ''Kitty Hawk'' to see and avoid the resulting collision, with minor damage to the aircraft carrier, and significant damage to the Soviet submarine. At the time of the accident, ''Kitty Hawk'' is estimated to have carried several dozen nuclear weapons, and ''K-314'' probably carried two nuclear torpedoes. ''Kitty Hawk'' was thereafter considered the first antisubmarine carrier weapon and a red submarine was painted on her island near the bridge but was ordered removed upon return to home port North Island San Diego, CA.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/22/world/soviet-sub-and-us-ship-collide.html |title=Soviet Sub and U.S. Ship Collide |first=Richard |last=Halloran |date=22 March 1984 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalhistory.org/2011/03/21/soviet-sub-collides-with-uss-kitty-hawk-21-march-1984 |title=Soviet Sub Collides with USS Kitty Hawk, 21 March 1984 |date=21 March 2011 |website=Naval History Blog |publisher=[[U.S. Naval Institute]] |access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref>

''Kitty Hawk'' went to the U.S. Naval Base at [[Subic Bay]] in the [[Philippines]] for repairs. A piece of one of ''K-314''{{'}}s propellers was embedded in ''Kitty Hawk''{{'}}s bow, as were some chunks of the Soviet [[Anechoic tiles|anechoic coating]], from scraping along the side of the submarine. The result was an "accidental" intelligence coup for the U.S. Navy.

The ship returned to San Diego on 1 August 1984. Seven months later, ''Kitty Hawk'' was awarded another Battle Efficiency "E" Award.

In July 1985, ''Kitty Hawk'' and [[CVW-9]] deployed again as flagship for Battle Group Bravo. ''Kitty Hawk'' and CVW-9 combined to set a standard for operations, completing their second consecutive fatality-free deployment.

In August 1985, People Magazine printed an article stating that Kitty Hawk's missiles and jet parts were illegally smuggled into Iran, at that time considered a hostile nation, as revealed by Kitty Hawk's Petty Officer [[Robert W Jackson]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Sailor Robert Jackson Blows the Whistle on the Kitty Hawk, Then Gets Piped Ashore for Safety|url=https://people.com/archive/sailor-robert-jackson-blows-the-whistle-on-the-kitty-hawk-then-gets-piped-ashore-for-safety-vol-24-no-8/|access-date=2020-08-20|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN}}</ref> Later, the FBI arrested seven suspects involved in this smuggling scheme,<ref>{{Cite web|last=Times|first=New York|title=FBI ARRESTS 7TH IN NAVY SMUGGLING CASE|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1985-07-23-0310400290-story.html|access-date=2020-08-20|website=OrlandoSentinel.com|date=23 July 1985 |language=en-US}}</ref> an event related to what was later known as the [[Iran-Contra]] scandal.

CVW-9 crews logged more than 18,000 flight hours and 7,300 arrested landings. At the same time ''Kitty Hawk'' maintained her catapults and arresting gear at 100 percent availability.

In 1986, during pre-cruise exercises, one Airman was killed during flight operations when he was struck by an aircraft while checking "elongs" during a launch.

''Kitty Hawk'' bid farewell to San Diego on 3 January 1987, as the ship departed her home port of 25 years and set out on a six-month world cruise. During the circumnavigation, ''Kitty Hawk'' and CVW-9 again showed their commitment to safety by conducting a third fatality-free deployment. ''Kitty Hawk'' spent 106 consecutive days on station in the Indian Ocean and was again awarded the Navy Expeditionary Medal and the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service. The world cruise ended at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 3 July. Six months later, ''Kitty Hawk'' began a Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) overhaul. ''Kitty Hawk'' emerged from the yards on 2 August 1990. The overhaul was estimated to have added 20 years of service to the ship. The Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Department was also awarded the Air Forces, US Pacific Fleet Departmental Excellence Award, the Black "E" for this deployment.

With the return of CVW-15 to its decks, ''Kitty Hawk'' began its second deployment around [[Cape Horn|"the Horn"]] of South America to her original home port of San Diego on 11 December 1991, performing [[Gringo-Gaucho]] with the [[Argentine Naval Aviation]]<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Setiembre 1991 |url=https://www.iri.edu.ar/revistas/revista_dvd/revistas/R2/R2CRO.html |journal=Revista de Relaciones Internacionales |volume=2}}</ref> and paying a visit to [[Mar del Plata]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cuando una "ciudad flotante" amarró en Mar del Plata |url=https://www.lacapitalmdp.com/cuando-una-ciudad-flotanteamarro-en-mar-del-plata/ |access-date=2023-08-27 |website=Diario La Capital de Mar del Plata |language=es-ES}}</ref> during the transit.

On 1 August 1992, ''Kitty Hawk'' was appointed as Naval Air Force Pacific's "ready carrier". The ship embarked Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 5; Commander, Destroyer Squadron 17 and CVW-15 for three months of work-ups before deploying to the Western Pacific on 3 November 1992. While on deployment, ''Kitty Hawk'' spent nine days off the coast of [[Somalia]] supporting [[United States Marine Corps|U.S. Marines]] and coalition forces involved in [[Operation Restore Hope]]. In response to increasing [[Iraq]]i violations of United Nations sanctions, the ship rushed to the [[Persian Gulf]] on 27 December 1992. Just 17 days later, ''Kitty Hawk'' led a [[January 1993 airstrikes on Iraq|joint coalition offensive strike against designated targets in southern Iraq]].

''Kitty Hawk'' set sail on her 17th deployment 24 June 1994, to provide a stabilizing influence operating in the Western Pacific during a [[1994 North Korean nuclear crisis|time of great tension in the Far East]], particularly concerning [[North Korea]]. This would be the last cruise for [[VA-52 (U.S. Navy)|VA-52]] flying the A-6E SWIP Intruder. During the cruise, the Carrier led the first [[Anti-submarine warfare|ASW]] persecution of both the [[Type 091 submarine|Han Class]] and [[Oscar-class submarine|Oscar II Class Submarine]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kitty Hawk II (CVA-63)|url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/k/kitty-hawk-cva-63-ii.html|access-date=2020-11-07|website=NHHC|language=en-US}}</ref>(Most likely the Oscar II was [[Russian submarine Chelyabinsk (K-442)|K-442]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Oscar II class|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/navy/oscar2.htm|access-date=2020-11-07|website=www.ww2.dk}}</ref>). During the ASW hunt of the Han Class Submarine of the [[People's Liberation Army Navy|PLA Navy]], a standoff ensued between the United States and [[China|PRC]] leading to several [[People's Liberation Army Air Force|PLAAF]] fighter aircraft flying near Kitty Hawk's [[Lockheed S-3 Viking|S-3 Viking]] ASW aircraft from [[VS-37]]. Eventually, both sides backed down.

In 1995, ''Kitty Hawk'' embarked airwing transitioned to CVW-11, marking a change to a single F-14 squadron, and 3 F/A-18 squadrons.<ref name="Former crewmember, with VFA-94">Former crewmember, with VFA-94.</ref>

''Kitty Hawk'' began her 18th deployment, this time with CVW-11, in October 1996. During the six-month underway period, the ship visited ports in the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific. The carrier made a rare visit to Hobart, Tasmania as well as being only the second carrier to ever stop in Manama, Bahrain.<ref name="Former crewmember, with VFA-94"/> ''Kitty Hawk'' returned to San Diego 11 April 1997, immediately beginning a 15-month, $110 million overhaul, including three months in dry dock in Bremerton, from January to March 1998.