In April 2002, "Kitty Hawk" was underway for her scheduled spring training. Along with a Guam port call, the spring underway included port visits to Singapore and Hong Kong, where the crew celebrated "Kitty Hawk"s 41st birthday. In the fall of 2002, "Kitty Hawk" was training in the Western Pacific. "Kitty Hawk" and her battle group combined with U.S. Air Force units and elements of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force to conduct AnnualEx 14G in the waters surrounding Japan. Later, the ship and her crew made a port visit to Hong Kong.