10/20/2014: Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, conduct a long range raid to Yuma, Az., from Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., during Large Scale Exercise 2014, Aug. 11, 2014.
LSE-14 is a bilateral training exercise being conducted by 1st MEB to build U.S. and Canadian forces’ joint capabilities through live, simulated, and constructive military training activities.
Credit:1st MEB:8/11/14
According to an article published on August 12, 2014 by Cpl Corey Dabney on the exercise:
An Expeditionary Strike Group combines the surface, submarine, and patrol capabilities of a Naval Amphibious Ready Group with the combat power of a Marine Air Ground Task Force scalable to a particular contingency.
LSE-14 is a bilateral training exercise being conducted by 1st MEB to build MAGTF and Canadian forces’ joint capabilities through live, simulated, and constructive military training activities.
The exercise also promotes interoperability and cooperation between joint, international, and U.S. Marine Forces, providing the opportunity to exchange knowledge and learn from each other, establish personal and professional relationships and hone individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex and realistic live scenarios with special focus on building combat power ashore.
And another article prior to the exercise identified the approach:
I MEB’s forces during LSE-14, composited from 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Logistics Group, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, will consist of 3,700 military members that will conduct long range raids, casualty evacuations, live-fire events, defensive operations, and close air support in response to exercise scenarios.
The 5th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group, U.S. Agency for International Development, Marine Corps Special Forces Command, and Marine Forces Cyber, will also work to develop processes and procedures as a unified team alongside I MEB forces.
A notable highlight during this exercise is the heavy integration of constructive and simulated training activities tied in with live fire events that offer the warfighter a diverse range of experiences during a short period of time.
From AV-8B Harrier pilots simulating air strikes in response to actual troops on the ground to the use of an automated battlefield picture that offers command and control staff the ability to test current and emerging warfighting tactics without expending funds for ammunition and fuel.