Each carrier is assigned an air wing which consist of one F-14 squadron, 3 F-18 Squadrons, One EA-6b Squadron, 1 S-3 Squadron, One E-2 Squadron and one Helo Squadron, atleast thats what CVW 17 on the GW was composed of. Deployments are 6 months long with an 18 month break but about 6 months before you go on deployment you start workups to earn qualifications and prepare for the deployment. Cruise is the easy part, Its the workups that suck.