11/01/2014: Bold Alligator 2014 is a crisis response exercise and continues the work of Bold Alligator 2012 and Bold Alligator 2013.
It is about calibrating insertion forces against various threats.
Insertion Forces Front Line Defence
The forces are American and coalition with several nations contributing ships, and combat personnel to both the planning and execution of the missions.
The Netherlands and Bold Alligator 2014
The exercise involves working with an evolving C2 capability to manage forces operating throughout key objective areas.
The presence of the Osprey allows the US and its allies to operate against longer range objective areas as well as other objective areas reachable by rotorcraft and reinforced by landing forces.
The sea base is characterized by logistical integrity meaning the insertion forces can be supported by the sea base, and it is not necessary to build forward operating bases or to land significant supplies ashore in order to prosecute missions.
It is a force tailored to crisis management, as opposed to having to rely on bringing significant forces ashore along with their gear in order to mount operations.
In this piece we feature a slideshow highlighting some of the US and allied ships involved in the exercise.
The first 15 photos are credited to Second Line of Defense.
The final photos are credited to the USN.
- The first five photos are of the USS Arlington. The first was shot from the shore near Fort Story. The next three were shot from a Seahawk helicopter. And the fifth was shot from the bridge of the HNLMS Johan de Witt.
- The next five photos are of the Dutch ship the HNLMS Johan de Witt. The 5th photo was shot from the shore near Fort Story. The 6th and 7th photos were shot from a Seahawk helicopter. The 9th photo is of the well deck inside the Dutch ship. The 19th photo shows two Seahawks on the flight deck.
- The 11th photo is of a Dutch landing ship.
- The 12th and 13th photos show other landing ships involved in the exercise.
- The 14th photo shows the USNS Apache, a sea tug used by MSC. She is designed to provide the Navy with towing service, and when augmented by Navy divers, assist in the recovery of downed aircraft and ships.
- In the 15th photo, a small boat used for riverine operations is seen near the Dutch ship.
- In the 16th photo, a submarine passes by the USS Arlington (LPD-24) and a LCAC during Bold Alligator 2014 at Fort Story, Va., Oct. 31, 2014.
- In the 17th and 18th photos, a Special Boat Team 20 (SBT-20) crew member guides an 11-Meter Naval Special Warfare Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (11M NSW RIB) onto the USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-20) during exercise Bold Alligator 2014 (BA14).
- The final photo shows an 11-Meter Naval Special Warfare Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (11M NSW RIB) is lowered from the USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-2) during exercise Bold Alligator 2014 (BA14).
For additional videos and slideshows which highlight Bold Alligator 2014 events to date see the following:
https://sldinfo.com/lcacs-in-bold-alligator-2014/
https://sldinfo.com/bold-alligator-2014-osprey-insertions/
https://sldinfo.com/bold-alligator-2014-training-to-support-an-embassy-under-threat/
https://sldinfo.com/lcac-departure-from-uss-arlington-during-bold-alligator-2014/