COD aircraft conducting a straight-in approach from port holding or starboard delta should be established at ____ feet within ____ nm AFT of the ship to deconflict with aircraft descending to the initial from the port holding pattern.

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Deconfliction in carrier operations relies on providing both vertical and horizontal separation as patterns converge. For COD aircraft doing a straight-in from port holding or starboard delta, being established at 600 feet within 3 nautical miles aft of the ship gives the necessary space to separate from aircraft descending to the initial from the port hold. The 600-foot altitude sets a safe vertical margin, while the 3 NM aft distance ensures there’s enough time and space for the descending traffic to reach and clear the initial approach path before the COD arrives on its final segment. This spacing minimizes risk of conflict as two descent/approach streams converge. The other options would either reduce the required separation too much or place the COD too high or too far away, which isn’t consistent with the deconfliction need. So the dependable configuration is 600 feet at 3 NM aft.