Month: September 2024

Source: United States Navy

LIMASSOL, Cyprus –The Harpers Ferry-class amphibious landing dock ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) and embarked Marines of 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) (Special Operations Capable) arrived in Limassol, Cyprus, Sept. 20, 2024, to conduct scheduled maintenance.

The maintenance period, termed a mid-deployment voyage repair (MDVR), allows the Sailors and Marines an opportunity to complete corrective and preventative maintenance actions that cannot be accomplished while at sea. The MDVR allows USS Oak Hill to sustain necessary capabilities to continue operations in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa areas of responsibility.

“Sustained operations at sea are demanding and create a lot of wear and tear on the ship and its systems,” said Cmdr. Jason Nowell, Oak Hill’s commanding officer. “Conducting maintenance in Cyprus will enable Oak Hill to continue to operate at full readiness while also growing our relationships with the industrial base assisting us with repairs and the local Cypriots we meet during our stay. In turn, this will benefit future units deploying in the region.”

The last U.S. Navy ship to execute an MDVR in Limassol was Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61) in August 2023. The ability to execute critical maintenance in allied and partner countries such as Cyprus provides a significant benefit to U.S. Navy ships and the Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) maintenance mission.

While the ship is in port, Marines of the 24th MEU (SOC) will participate in routine bilateral training exercises with the Cypriot National Guard in Paphos and Larnaca, Cyprus, in partnership with the Republic of Cyprus. This training is part of their scheduled deployment and focuses on maintaining the readiness and operational capabilities of Navy and Marine Corps forces so that they continue to be ready for any mission.

Oak Hill is operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations as part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (WSP ARG)-24th MEU (SOC) supporting U.S., Allied and partner interests in the region, including in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, to continue promoting regional stability and deterring aggression.

The WSP ARG-24th MEU (SOC) is comprised of its flagship namesake, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1), San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21), Oak Hill, and the embarked 24th MEU (SOC).

The 24th MEU (SOC) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a command element, Aviation Combat Element (Medium Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 365 (Reinforced)), Ground Combat Element (Battalion Landing Team 1/8), and Logistics Combat Element (Combat Logistics

To learn more about USS Oak Hill, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ussoakhilllsd51

To learn more about WSP ARG-24th MEU (SOC), please visit our DVIDS feature page: https://www.dvidshub.net/feature/wasparg24thmeu

Source: United States Navy

PIERRE, S.D. (Sept. 19, 2024) — It’s not everyday that landlocked states see Sailors walking around their communities in their dress whites. This is especially the case for the residents of Pierre, S.D., which is the capital city of the state, where the closest Navy affiliation would either be the Navy veterans salt-and-peppered around the area or the ‘local’ Navy Reserve Center which is located about 220 miles away in Sioux Falls.
So when the residents of Pierre learned the that the crew of the Independence-variant, littoral combat ship USS Pierre (LCS 38) was coming in for a visit, from Sept. 17-19, they made sure they were ready to welcome their latest namesake’s crew with open arms.

“Once we received word that the new USS Pierre’s crew was coming into town we wasted no time engaging with the local leaders and community members setting up meetings and events,” said Mike Mehlhaff, executive officer of the USS Pierre’s commissioning committee. “This is something we are excited about, and to be able to have our city’s name on a U.S. Navy ship really instills great pride in the residents.”
The commissioning committee was able to set up a variety of engagements throughout the week. The crew was able to conduct school presentations at local elementary schools and T.F. Riggs High School.
“The students were absolutely thrilled to meet the U.S. Navy Sailors today,” said Jennifer Nedrebo, principal at Buchanan Elementary School. “Their excitement was contagious, and many of them were beaming with pride, knowing that a new ship will be named in honor of Pierre. It’s not every day that they get such a unique experience, and I believe they were genuinely inspired by the Sailors’ presence.”
“It’s very important for us to foster a connection to the people and community that our ship and crew will represent,” said Cmdr. Justin Guernsey, commanding officer of USS Pierre. “Also being a surface warfare officer, I am extremely passionate about sharing and highlighting the importance of U.S. Navy Sailors and ships across the fleet, and how their namesake ship fits into a larger equation that helps support peace and stability around the world.”
In addition to local school visits the crew was able to have a guided tour around Pierre by the Mayor Steve Harding, and have a meet and greet with South Dakota’s Governor, Kristi Noem.
“We enjoyed introducing the crew to our community during the city commission meeting, and the governor was even able to find some time in her busy schedule to meet the crew” said Pierre Mayor Steve Harding. “Folks that were able to have interactions with the Sailors were very interested to learn about the ship and really developed a connection that the ship and her crew will be able to carry throughout the world for Pierre, S.D.”
“We have had a lot of exciting projects that were finished up recently around the city of Pierre, and we were able to showcase them to the Sailors during their visit,” Harding continued. “I think its a bond that we [the city of Pierre] will share, and thats being able to take challenges head on and to keep moving and progressing for the benefit of all.”
“Being able to meet these leaders and community members allows us, as Sailors, to really take a step back and realize that we don’t only represent the Navy, but we represent these people, this city,” said Mineman 3rd Class Sekema Williams. “That alone really inspires me to go out there and really commit 100% to everything I do.”
The crew was treated with welcome signs from local business owners, held an open house at the American Legion, and even participated in local media interviews.
“These types of visits are incredibly beneficial for our community,” said Nefrebo. “It provides a broader perspective on the vital role the Navy plays in our nation while sparking curiosity and a deeper appreciation for our armed forces.”
“I was extremely humbled and grateful for the opportunity to visit the great people of Pierre and was able to express that on-air,” said Lt. Marshal Van Gundy, weapons officer aboard USS Pierre. “To be able to reach out and connect with people that weren’t able to meet us in person further deepens the connection we have with the city, and I look forward to sharing these experiences with the men and women I get to lead.”
Before the crew departs they were able to volunteer with the local charity Feeding South Dakota.
“We [the crew] thought it was super important that we were able to give back to the community that embraced us with open arms,” said Command Senior Chief Aaron Beugler, senior enlisted leader aboard USS Pierre. “I want to set the standard now while on this visit, so that years from now the future Sailors of USS Pierre continue to strengthen the bond we have with our namesake city.”
“Many people in Pierre will never see their namesake on the water,” said Harding. “Thats why this namesake visit is so special. And to have these Sailors, our namesake Sailors, be able to come out here and share their experiences in the Navy, makes us feel a great sense of pride and honor to have them sailing the USS Pierre in our name.”
As the crew wrapped up their time in Pierre they look back on an impactful visit, and are already discussing their next trip back to their namesake city.
“This truly was a fantastic visit,” said Guernsey. “From the state and local government, business owners, the veteran community, and all the residents that we have had the pleasure of meeting, they were all welcoming and supportive and made an overall lasting impact on me and my crew. And I can honestly say that Pierre, S.D., has become a second home for us!”
USS Pierre will be the second ship named to honor the citizens and capital of South Dakota. The first USS Pierre was a PC-461-class submarine chaser built during World War II, which was renamed Pierre in Feb. 1956, and decommissioned in Oct. 1958.
You can keep up to date with the latest on USS Pierre (LCS 38) by visiting usspierre.org.
If you or someone you know is interested in a career or wants to find out more about the U.S. Navy, they can visit www.navy.com or call Navy Counselor 1st Class Jason Standiford, U.S. Navy recruiter and S.D. native, assigned to Navy Talent Acquisition Group Northern Plains at Navy Recruiting Station Rapid City, at 605-799-7779.
For more information on NTAG Northern Plains, like and follow us on Facebook @NTAGNorthernPlains, Instagram @ntagnp, and X @NTAG_NP.
NTAG Northern Plains is responsible for the U.S. Navy’s enlisted and officer recruiting, covering 393,000 square miles in the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, and parts of Illinois, and Wisconsin.

Source: United States Navy

Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 integrated U.S. Airmen, Guardians, Sailors, Marines, and allies from Australia and the United Kingdom into a combined force to train for a possible conflict in the era of Great Power Competition.

The exercise conducted live-fly operations in the eastern Pacific and a simultaneous 24-hour live, virtual, and constructive, or LVC, rolling scenario, tackling issues involving distributed command and control, communications degradation, logistics and sustainment challenges, and fighting through the tyranny of distance, last month.

Bamboo Eagle 24-3 provided advanced expeditionary airbase training in a combat-representative environment utilizing distributed locations, or spokes, along the western United States. Red Flag and Agile Flag units were dispersed from hubs into spokes while maintaining sortie generation utilizing a centralized C2 force element, or C2FE.  Agile combat employment, or ACE, concepts were incorporated into the exercise to provide full spectrum movement and maneuver and multi-hub operations under a singular operational C2 structure.

“The Bamboo Eagle exercise series is so much more than Red Flag over water,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Power, 505th Combat Training Squadron commander, Hurlburt Field, Florida. “The combination of an LVC environment spanning more than 850,000 square miles in a synthetic battlespace delivers the scope and scale necessary to prepare both tactical-level and operational-level warfighters for competition with the pacing challenge.”

During Bamboo Eagle 24-1, the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center-led exercise focused on tactical operations while operational-level of war elements such as the air operations center, or AOC, Air Force forces staff and the Commander, AFFOR and Combined/Joint Forces Air Component Commander, were replicated by 505th CTS from Hurlburt Field.  In a first for the Bamboo Eagle exercise series, the USAFWC called for the deployment of a fully resourced combat representative AOC and AFFOR to exercise and support multi-domain operations in a disaggregated high-end conflict during Bamboo Eagle 24-3.

“Bamboo Eagle 24-3 built upon 24-1 in the operational C2 structure that assured the C2FEs had the operational echelon above them to provide critical guidance, support, and sustainment as the ACE scheme of maneuver was executed,” said U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Jesse Friedel, USAFWC deputy commander and Bamboo Eagle COMAFFOR and C/JFACC, Nellis AFB, Nevada. “The large-scale combat-representative exercise was successful at executing the C2 structure for Great Power Competition, focusing on mission command where there was centralized command and key distributed control, along with critical decentralized execution to assure we were synchronizing efforts to improve interoperability with our Nation’s joint force.”

Another first for the Bamboo Eagle exercise series in 24-3 was incorporating operational-level planning and execution by subject matter experts from the entire wing and wing staff, including the 505th Training Squadron and 705th Training Squadron.  Instructors from both training squadrons supported the AOC, AFFOR, air expeditionary wings, and COMAFFOR and C/JFACC.

U.S., Australian, and  U.K., tactical and operational C2 experts integrated to provide national expertise, independent/contingency communications, and to further development of tactics, techniques and procedures within Bamboo Eagle’s AOC.

Air Operations Center

“Generally, as an Air Force, we focus on the tactical aspect of war; exercises like Red Flag focus on tactics, but the level above that is the operational level of war, which we don’t practice very well,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Ryan Hayde, 505th Command and Control Wing commander and Bamboo Eagle AOC director. “Standing up a fully manned AOC allowed us the ability to synchronize efforts over time and space and to focus on the scale and scope in an Indo-Pacific large-scale conflict, which only the operational level of war is going to be able to solve, which is critical to winning the logistics fight, C2 fight, and long-range kill chain fight against a peer-to-peer adversary.”

Exercise Bamboo Eagle saw momentous progress towards coalition integration within operational C2 since its first iteration in January 2024.

“The significance of our coalition partners’ involvement during Bamboo Eagle cannot be overstated,” remarked Hayde. “Due to some breakthroughs in access, our partners were able to fight on our systems and lead AOC shifts, filling the top three AOC leadership roles.”

During the exercise, simulated combat scenarios and live joint training operations provided a unique opportunity for military personnel from the U.S., Australia, and the U.K., to work closely together and enhance their collective capabilities.

“U.K. and Royal Australian Air Force participants benefitted from unprecedented access to U.S. systems. This demonstrated the strength and effectiveness of multinational cooperation in achieving shared military objectives,” said Royal Air Force Wing Commander Richard Kinniburgh, U.K. exchange officer to the 505th CCW and Bamboo Eagle U.K. Detachment commander.  “I, alongside my Australian counterpart, will endeavor to build upon these successes into exercise BE 25-1 and support the U.S. Air Force in sharing the access processes as best practice to enhance FVEY [Five Eyes] integration as widely as possible.”

RAAF Squadron Leader Sean Bedford, Bamboo Eagle RAAF detachment commander, said, “The access to U.S. systems was beneficial. Individual (AOC) divisions seemed to appreciate the fact that we were there and actively working to integrate with our U.S. and U.K. counterparts. The opportunity to network and be inside the 613th AOC was a high point. Learning about and actively experiencing working within a U.S. AOC was an important aspect of the exercise. The good relationships between the three nations present were evident. U.S. members were happy to listen and consider what we had to say.”

“Bamboo Eagle 24-3 has set a new standard for coalition integration for exercises and methodology that will be shared across the U.S. Air Force as best practice,” said Hayde. 

Air Force forces staff, also known as the AFFOR battle staff

To provide a more robust combat-representative training environment for the AEWs, an AFFOR staff supported the dual-hatted COMAFFOR and C/JFACC’s operational and administrative control over Bamboo Eagle’s forces from the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis’ operations floor.

“While the AOC and live-fly garner a lot of attention in these exercises, our ability to successfully operate ACE in the Indo-Pacific is critically reliant on the ability of the AFFOR. No longer is the AFFOR staff able to just focus on ‘deploy, sustain, and redeploy’…they are now more than ever critical to the employment of airpower!” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Benjamin Lee, 705th TRS commander, Hurlburt Field, Florida.

“During a high-end conflict, communication between the deployed combat wings, the AOC and AFFOR battle staff is going to be critical to synchronize operations and maintain initiative,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Jason Wild, 99th Air Base Wing deputy commander, and Bamboo Eagle AFFOR battle staff director, Nellis AFB, Nevada. “Bamboo Eagle provided the perfect training ground to get much-needed repetition in executing operational C2.”

Scope and Scale

While Bamboo Eagle’s live environment introduced mission generation FEs, or MGFEs, to the challenges of ACE and synchronization of multi-domain effects, the virtual and constructive environments stressed the challenges of logistics and resource management for both the air component and subordinate wings and associated C2FEs.

“If the all-domain combat power pulses answer the ‘so what?’ of generating combat air power, the operational environment at the scope and scale of the Indo-Pacific AOR [area of responsibility] of the synthetic battlespace begs the question ‘so how?’” said Power.   

Power continued, “…the complex live environment of Bamboo Eagle presented wing commanders with significant MG and combat application challenges. Yet, sortie generation and mission planning alone do not provide the combat-representative environment our warfighters need in preparation for Great Power Competition. Pairing live training audiences with a broad constructive and virtual wrap-around replicates the look and feel of major combat operations.”

Live, Virtual, and Constructive

The 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center, at Kirtland AFB,  New Mexico, synchronized LVC environments and delivered robust training. The DMOC provided reps and sets for the entire C2 battle management enterprise, including aircrew flying strike aircraft and C2 platforms within a realistic combined scenario at a scope and scale not possible in the live-fly alone.

This exercise included the first-ever lead wing participants at the DMOC, connected through a simultaneous LVC environment.  During the exercise, the training audience addressed the challenges of tyranny of distance, time, and logistical strains of an Indo-Pacific Command fight within the constructive and virtual components, which were spread out over prolonged vulnerability periods or pulses.

The 1st Fighter Wing participated as an expeditionary Lead Wing, engaging with live participants through a virtual environment representing realistic USINDOPACOM basing at the DMOC.  The 1st FW managed dispersed operations while maintaining C2 and sortie generation through a centralized C2FE. ACE concepts were incorporated into the exercise to provide maneuver and multi-hub operations under a singular operational C2 structure.

“In this iteration of Bamboo Eagle, we were able to provide a unique and challenging venue to train a lead wing C2FE, I think this is definitely a growth area for the DMOC that will meet an unfilled training need for wings as they prepare to for high-end conflict,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. David Jones, 705th CTS/DMOC commander, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.

Network Architecture

The 805th Combat Training Squadron’s, also known as the ShOC-N, ability to manage the network architecture in real time ensures that the LVC blends seamlessly into a single common operational picture. This ability took constructive data from the 505th CTS and virtual data from the 705th CTS and combines that with live instrumented range data from across multiple live-fly operating areas.

“Exercise participants, regardless of echelon, are participating in a training construct that mimics adversary orders of battle, blue dispositions, and the tyranny of distance like no other exercise has to date,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Shawn Finney, 805th CTS/ShOC-N commander, Nellis AFB, Nevada. “The result is a combat-representative depiction of the scope and scale of peer conflict.”

Importance of Communications

Bamboo Eagle 24-3 marked the first utilization of the 613th AOC C2 Training Suite with strong support and collective ownership provided by the 56th Air and Space Communications Squadron and 505th Communications Squadron teams. The effective coordination and collaboration between these units played a crucial role in two main aspects. Firstly, it facilitated the development of Mission Ready Airmen, through scale and speed, with training focused on command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence, or C4I, skillsets needed for critical wartime operations. Secondly, it accelerated the development, integration, and testing of the communications and intelligence capabilities by utilizing models and simulations overlays into a comprehensive battlespace picture, becoming more combat representative by displaying unfolding events.

“Meeting operational demands in an era of Great Power Competition by ensuring that the C2 architecture (systems, networks, satellite communications, and warfighting applications) captures evolving air, sea, space, and cyberspace challenges is my team’s goal,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Crystal Lusardi, 505th CS commander, Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Mission Under Test

A key part of the 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron effort involved developing and executing the squadron’s first-ever mission-under-test observation and tactics investigation plan. This plan provided an end-to-end look at the complex process of planning and executing long-range kill-chains across 11 different lines of effort.

“Executing our first-ever Mission Under Test observation and tactics investigation plan during Bamboo Eagle was a significant step forward for the 605th TES. This comprehensive approach allowed us to gain an unprecedented understanding of the complexities involved in planning and executing long-range kill chains, ultimately enabling us to identify vulnerabilities and improve coordination across the entire battlespace,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brad Short, 605th TES commander, Hurlburt Field, Florida. “Our team’s efforts in evaluating non-traditional C2 and ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance] tactics demonstrated the incredible adaptability and ingenuity of our Airmen. We witnessed firsthand how these innovations can dramatically improve targeting and execution speeds on the battlefield.”.

Future of Bamboo Eagle

“As the Air Force is reoptimizing for Great Power Competition, with a focus on realistic scenarios and large-scale exercises to identify gaps and weaknesses, the 505th Command and Control Wing must adopt an all-in mindset to address operational C2 potential peer-to-peer threats,” said Hayde. “As we prepare for REFORPAC [exercise Return of Forces Pacific], we will continue to robust our AFFOR and AOC contribution to further integrate operational-level C2 into future iterations of Bamboo Eagle to ensure that we practice how we’re going to fight.”