Navy Strike Group Operates Across the Land-Based Environment in Test

09/06/2016

09/06/2016DAHLGREN, Va. – “Video footage featuring the Navy’s evaluation of a strike group’s gun weapon systems, combat systems, and unmanned vehicles’ interoperability with surface and air assets while firing on targets at the 2016 USS Dahlgren demonstration, Aug. 30.

It was the first time an entire Navy strike group was brought together in a land-based environment spanning the entire kill chain – plan, detect, control, engage and assess.

“This demonstration integrated capabilities across multiple laboratories, utilizing unmanned and manned sensor platforms, engaging a hostile swarm threat of surface craft attacking a virtual naval battlegroup consisting of a Nimitz class aircraft carrier, an Aegis class cruiser and an Independence class Littoral Combat Ship,” said Neil Baron, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) distinguished scientist for combat control.

At one point, senior Navy officials – flag officers, commanding officers, and two-dozen senior executives – watched engineers fire a 30 millimeter gun on the Potomac River Test Range from their Littoral Combat Ship’s (LCS) – Surface Warfare (SUW) Mission Package Command and Control laboratory several miles away.

“This event brings it all together,” said Rear Adm. Tom Druggan, NSWC commander. “We have to field systems that are a slam dunk win for the Navy. When push comes to shove, the Navy has to win. Our job is to make sure the fleet wins today and in the future.”

The test – made possible by a cybernetic laboratory called USS Dahlgren – conducted engagement coordination with virtual and hardware representations of systems on the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), and USS Independence (LCS 2) during live fire destruction of surface threats utilizing the LCS 30 millimeter, Aegis MK 46 gun system’s 5-inch guns, and simulated hellfire missiles.

“This has been five to six years in the making and couldn’t come at a better time as we see real-world events such as the recent small boat incursions in the Middle East, highlighting the need for the Fleet,” said Capt. Brian Durant, NSWCDD commanding officer.

Druggan, Durant and their counterparts watched as actual combat system equipment from the aircraft carrier and two surface combatant laboratories directed live fire on the Potomac River Test Range as fictitious surface threats attempted to attack.

The live fire engagements continued throughout the scenario, demonstrating integration of currently fielded capabilities, from MH-60R and MH60S Seahawk helicopters to the Aegis Combat System and the Ship Self-Defense System with new technologies such as Virtual Automatic Scoring System.”

DAHLGREN, VA, UNITED STATES

Courtesy Video:Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division

Exercise Northern Lightening: The Perspective of the Maintainers

09/06/2016: Exercise Northern Lightning is currently underway at Volk Field, Wisconsin. To date, this is the largest deployment of F-35’s DoD wide.

A crew chief from the 58th Aircraft Maintenance Unit talks about his experience working with the F-35A during this large force exercise.

CAMP DOUGLASS, WI, UNITED STATES

08.29.2016

Video by Staff Sgt. Sarah Trachte: Air Combat Command Public Affairs

SPMAGTF-CR Training with the French

08/20/2016

08/20/2016: French Army soldiers with 35th Infantry Regiment and U.S. Marines with Bravo company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa execute an insert and extraction exercise hosted by French Army Center for Urban Combat Training instructors aboard Camp Sissonne, France, June 22, 2016.

SPMAGTF-CR-AF Marines trained alongside a company of French Army soldiers, integrating their skills and resources including weaponry and tactics to form an effective battle plan, similar to what they may face in the event of a future crisis.

SISSONNE, FRANCE
06.22.2016
Video by Sgt. Kassie McDole
U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa

NATO Global Hawk

08/20/2016: James E. Edge, NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Management Agency (NAGSMA), General Manager talks about the coming of the NATO Global Hawk.

“You can imagine a hand full of scenarios from the natural disaster that we suffered. You can go back when the United States had the tsunami for example, that hits Indonesia, that sometimes ago obviously but that type of situation when you need to put an assets that is on rotation for long time because the water is settling, changes are occurring, and you can’t keep a helicopter orbiting for six to eight hours you know, the NATO AGS can stay up for 24 hours at the time and give you real time information of a very broad area.

Obviously crisis situation where you have what appears to be movements from one country into another country illicitly saying that you know there appears to be military activities here, what do NATO commanders and NATO national leaders need to understand about those movements. The imagery that comes off the NATO AGS is truth data it does not lie.

We look to go to what we call the initial operation capability in December 2017 and full operation capability right now is scheduled for 2018. A lot of things have to happen obviously between now and then, getting all the aircrafts there, get the infrastructure built up completely at Sigonella and get SHAPE troops ready to go.”

Credit: NATO:6/28/16

NATO AGS Global Hawk Flight

08/13/2016

08/13/2016: The first of NATO’s five unmanned air vehicles rolled off the factory line in San Diego on Thursday, 4 June 2015. The Global Hawk Block 40 is part of the Alliance Ground Surveillance Program (AGS).

The NATO-owned and -operated AGS core capability will enable the Alliance to perform persistent surveillance over wide areas from high-altitude long-endurance aircraft in any weather or light condition .

The system will give commanders a comprehensive picture of the situation on the ground.

The AGS system is being acquired by 15 Allies (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States).

AGS is scheduled to reach initial operational capability by the end of 2017. The air vehicles will be controlled from the main operating centre in Sigonella, Italy.

Credit: NATO:6/28/16

SPMAGTF-CR-AF Marines Conduct a NEO Exercise at French Training Center

08/10/2016

08/10/2016: U.S. Marines with Bravo and Charlie company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa execute a Non-combatant evacuation operation exercise hosted by French Army Center for Urban Combat Training instructors aboard Camp Sissonne, France, June 21, 2016.

SPMAGTF-CR-AF Marines trained alongside a company of French Army soldiers, integrating their skills and resources to form an effective battle plan, similar to what they may face in the event of a future crisis.

SISSONNE, FRANCE:06.21.2016

Video by Sgt. Kassie McDole:U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa