SysAdmin, Author at Second Line of Defense

MRF-D Marines celebrate ANZAC Day With Australian Forces

Posted on April 25, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/25/2014

04/25/2014: MRF-D Marines celebrate ANZAC Day With Australian Forces

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Credit:MRF-D:4/25/14

In the first two photos, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, and Soldiers with 1st Brigade, parade through Palmerston to celebrate ANZAC Day, April 25, 2014. ANZAC Day is a national day of remembrance for veterans who have served in the Australian or New Zealand military.
In the third photo, Members of the Australian Defence Force parade through Palmerston to celebrate ANZAC Day, April 25, 2014.
In the fourth photo, Maj. Richard Hayes, commander of Operational Support Squadron, Australian Defence Force; Maj. Wyatt Frazer, commander of Combat Service Support Regiment, ADF; Capt. Andy Macak, company commander of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin; and 1st Lt. Alex Lang, executive officer of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, MRF-D, greet each other and talk before a parade through Palmerston to celebrate ANZAC Day, April 25, 2014.
In the fifth photo, Marines with Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, offer a wreath during a Dawn Service with 5th Royal Australian Regiment on ANZAC Day aboard Robertson Barracks, April 25, 2014
In the final photo, Cpl. Mathew Alborough, 5th Royal Australian Regiment, gives a prayer at a Dawn Service on ANZAC Day aboard Robertson Barracks, April 25, 2014

Background Note:

The 6 month rotation in Australia is an important part of the distributed laydown and building convergent capabilities among core allies and partners in the region. Notably, a key element in shaping a 21st century Pacific defense structure is working convergent or cross-cutting modernization between the United States and key allies like Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Australia.

And those allies are working their own cross cutting convergence often in multinational exercises sponsored by the United States in the Pacific or US training ranges. For example, the Australian Wedgetail commanded and controlled allied aircraft in a recent Red Flag exercise with South Korean and Japanese F-15s as part of the force. And this was after the South Korean F-15 crossed through Japanese airspace to get to the exercise.

In an interview with Lt. General Robling, the Commanding Officer of the Marine Forces in the Pacific or MARFORPAC, the CG discussed the rotation.

It’s not about just building relationships in the region. It is about collective security in the region. Building collective security requires, in part, a process of building partner capacity, and working convergent capacities to shape effective and mutually beneficial relationships which underlie the evolution of collective security.

Our working relationship with Australia is a case in point. Even though they see themselves… rightly… as an island continent, they’ve really got to be part of the entire region’s ability to respond to crisis, both natural and manmade. To do this, they can’t stay continent bound, and must engage forward in the greater Asia Pacific region.

By becoming part of a collective Pacific security apparatus, they get the added benefit of defending their nation away from their borders. The Australian military is small in comparison to the US, but it is a lethal and technologically sophisticated force. In the face of a large-scale threat, they, like the US and others in the region, wouldn’t be able to defend by themselves. They would have to be a part of a larger collective security effort and ally with the US or other likeminded nations in the region in order to get more effective and less costly defense capabilities pushed farther forward.

The MRF-D rotation comes at an important point in the Australian modernization effort itself.

The Marines are viewed as important contributors to working with the Australians to enhance their own joint force operational approach as new capabilities are added, notably the F-35. And Australian modernization benefits the USN-USMC team in the region as well as the Aussies adds important new capabilities to their forces, which can contribute, directly to enhanced coalition operational performance.

USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 740) Returns After Patrol

Posted on April 24, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/24/2014

04/24/2014: USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 730) is the fifth Ohio-class nuclear-powered fleet ballistic-missile submarine and the only U.S. Navy ship to have been named for United States Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (1912–1983) of Washington. Also the only Ohio-class submarine not named after a U.S. state.

The ship originally was to have been named USS Rhode Island. The contract to build Rhode Island was awarded to the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics Corporation at Groton, Connecticut, on June 6, 1977, and her keel was laid down January 19, 1981. Shortly after Senator Jackson died in office suddenly on September 1, 1983, Rhode Island was renamed Henry M. Jackson, and the name Rhode Island was transferred to another Ohio-class submarine, SSBN 740.

The Henry M. Jackson was launched October 15, 1983, sponsored by Senator Jackson’s daughter, Ms. Anna Marie Jackson, and commissioned October 6, 1984, with Capt. Ralph L. Tindal in command of the Blue Crew and Capt. M. A. Farmer in command of the Gold Crew.

http://www.uscarriers.net/ssbn730history.htm

These photos show he Ohio-Class Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 740) returns home to Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor following a strategic deterrent patrol.

The final photo shows USS Henry M. Jackson (SSBN 740) moored alongside USS Louisiana (SSBN 743).

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Credit:Commander, Submarine Group Nine:1/28/14

31st MEU Search and Rescue in the South Korean Ferry Disaster

Posted on April 22, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/22/2014

04/22/2014: 31st MEU Search and Rescue in the South Korean Ferry Disaster

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Credit: 31st MEU:4/20/14

In the first photo, Corporal Navarrete Angle and Lance Cpl. Justin Ranum, both crew chiefs with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) take off from the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) in an MV-22 Osprey during search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken ferry Sewol off the coast of the Republic of Korea, April 20, 2014. The 31st MEU and Amphibious Squadron 11 (PHIBRON) were conducting routine training in support of their regularly scheduled spring patrol roughly 100 nautical miles away when they were tasked to respond to the incident April 16. The 31st MEU and PHIBRON 11 provide a forward deployed maritime contingency response force capable of conducting a wide range of operations in the Asia-Pacific region.
In photo two, Republic of Korea ships conduct search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken ferry Sewol off the coast of the Republic of Korea, April 20, 2014.
In photo three, Lance Cpl. Derek Levi, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced) attached to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conducts search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken ferry Sewol off the coast of the Republic of Korea, April 20, 2014.
In photo four, Lance Cpl. Derek Levi, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepares an MV-22 Osprey for take off aboard the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) during search and rescue operations for survivors of the sunken ferry Sewol off the coast of the Republic of Korea, April 20, 2014.

Marines give JGSDF a lesson in Helo Casting

Posted on April 21, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/21/2014

04/21/2014: Iron Fist is an amphibious exercise that brings together Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, other I Marine Expeditionary Force units, and soldiers from the JGSDF, to promote military interoperability and hone individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex and realistic training.

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Credit:15th Marine Expeditionary Unit:1/27/14

In the first photo, soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force make their way to Seal Beach on a combat rubber reconnaissance craft while conducting Helo Cast training during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif., Jan. 27, 2014.
In the second photo, a soldier with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force jumps out of a CH-46E Sea Knight while conducting Helo Cast training with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif., Jan. 27, 2014.
In the third photo, soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force make their way to a CH-46E Sea Knight while conducting Helo Cast training during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Naval Amphibious Base Coronado, Calif., Jan. 27, 2014.

Marines Train JGSDF in Amphibious Operations

Posted on April 18, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/18/2014

04/18/2014:Iron Fist is an amphibious exercise that brings together Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, other I Marine Expeditionary Force units, and soldiers from the JGSDF, to promote military interoperability and hone individual and small-unit skills through challenging, complex and realistic training.

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Credit:15th Marine Expeditionary Unit:1/24/14

In the first photo, a U.S. Marine with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, demonstrates the 10 minute warning signal to soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force while conducting Helo Cast training during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 24, 2014.
In photo 2, U.S. Marine Sgt. David Johnson, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, demonstrates how to fasten a combat rubber reconnaissance craft using the “Soft Duck” method to soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 24, 2014
In photo 3, soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force examine how to properly load and fasten a combat rubber reconnaissance craft using the “Soft Duck” method while conducting Helo Cast training during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 24, 2014
In photo 4, soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force practice rigging rope on a combat rubber reconnaissance craft while conducting Helo Cast training during Exercise Iron Fist 2014 aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 24, 2014.

F-35 Training at 33rd Fighter Wing

Posted on April 17, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/17/2014

2014-04-17

The F-35 training process started at Eglin but now the Marines are moving from Eglin to Marine Air Station Beaufort with the USN taking over the USMC facilities at Eglin. At Second Line of Defense we have regularly followed the standing up of the training processes for the F-35 at Eglin. This video summarizes where the facility is today.,

The Integrated Training Center at Eglin Air Force Base has qualified pilots and maintainers from the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, the U.K. and the Netherlands.

Lt. Col. Berke, the USMC squadron leader at the time the video was shot, is the only operational F-22 and F-35 pilot in the world — is one of the pilots interviewed. Indeed, every pilot or leader interviewed in this video has been interviewed earlier on Second Line of Defense.

It is always important to remember that the pilots and maintainers are training together in this facility.

Credit Video: 33rd Fighter Wing

Army Helos Jumping on and Off of Amphibious Ships

Posted on April 15, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/15/2014

04/15/2014: These images show various US Army helos deployed to South Korea using amphibious ships as lily pads for going from shore to ship and back again. They are not designed for ship operations; they are not “marinized” in any way. And they are not compatible with shipboard systems of various sorts.

But the pictures do show the ability to jump off and on amphibious ships. The Army helos were NOT part of the joint amphibious training of the South Koreans, the USMC and the Aussies.

According to a MARFORPAC source:

The Army did not play in this exercise.

Prior and after they asked to train on both the ROK and US ships because they have a NEO mission to train for and never have the opportunity to get on these ships.

There only requirement is shore to ship and back and have not been cleared for at sea operations.

Their helos are not marinized or are they good at landing in rolling seas (safety)…hence only operations at the pier or close to shore.

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Credit: USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) :4/11/14

In the first photo, a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter, assigned to 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, takes off from the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6). Bonhomme Richard is the flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group and is conducting joint force amphibious operations in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and Commander, Amphibious Squadron Eleven
In the second photo, an AH-64D Apache Longbow Attack Helicopter, assigned to 4th Aerial Reconnaissance Battalion (Attack), 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, lands on the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)
In the third photo, a CH-47F Chinook tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter, assigned to 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, lands on the flight deck of the forward-deployed amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6)

Departing Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Nimroz province, Afghanistan

Posted on April 15, 2014 | by SysAdmin | Leave a Comment

04/15/2014: The Marines and sailors of CLB-7 were instrumental in retrograding more than 302,000 pounds of equipment and supplies and the last of the Marines and sailors of SFAAT 4-215 back to Camp Leatherneck from FOB Delaram II.

Delaram II has been a major USMC base on the border of Helmand, Nimroz and Farah provinces.

It has been upgraded substantially to include a makeshift airfield, a new gym and other facilities, but is being turned over to the Afghans and will become the headquarters of the ANA’s 2nd Brigade, 215th Corps.

Combat Logistics Battalion 7 arrived at FOB Delaram II on the morning of April 7 and began loading all the cargo, including generators, shipping containers and heavy equipment, onto their trucks in preparation for their journey back to Camp Leatherneck, the largest military base in southwestern Afghanistan.

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Credit: Regional Command Southwest:4/14/14

In the first photo, Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 7 load the back end of a trailer onto another trailer as they prepare to convoy back with the last supplies, equipment and team members of Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 4-215 from Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Nimroz province, Afghanistan, April 7, 2014.
In the second photo, multiple vehicles with Combat Logistics Battalion 7 line up as they prepare to convoy back with the last supplies, equipment and team members of Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 4-215 from Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Nimroz province, Afghanistan, April 8, 2014.
In the third photo, Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 7 load a shipping container onto a trailer as they prepare to convoy back with the last supplies, equipment and team members of Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 4-215 from Forward Operating Base Delaram II, Nimroz province, Afghanistan, April 7, 2014.
In the final photo, the last vehicle of Combat Logistics Battalion 7 leaves Forward Operating Base Delaram II as they convoy back with the last supplies, equipment and team members of Security Force Assistance Advisor Team 4-215 to Camp Leatherneck from Nimroz province, Afghanistan, April 8, 2014.