The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command announced that Naval Expeditionary Forces have conducted simulated strikes during Noble Fusion, a joint and combined naval expeditionary exercise.
According to a recent Command news release, aircraft from (CVN 72), Task Force 76, Marines operating from a simulated expeditionary advanced base (EAB), and JMSDF Sailors aboard JS Kongō, participated in simulated strike procedures to practice integrated fires capabilities.
“Conducting integrated fires across air, land and sea is carefully coordinated and requires meticulous training, synchronization, and communication across the force,” said Maj. David Harris, aviation fires officer, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). “By using our own ship as a simulated target vessel, Marines and sailors were able to execute realistic integrated fires command and control in our exercises at sea.”
The USS Dewey (DDG 105), was assigned as the oppositional force for the simulated strike while an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye from Abraham Lincoln served as the Maritime Air Controller. A P-8A Poseidon, assigned to Task Force 72, provided real-time targeting data to the JS Kongō, Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit operating on the EAB, and FA-18Es that launched from the Abraham Lincoln in order to facilitate the strike.
“Executing integrated strikes as a Navy Expeditionary force, across domains validates our capability to provide accurate and timely data between units,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jun-Vincente Chong, current operations planner, Expeditionary Strike Group 7. “Noble Fusion afforded our integrated task force the opportunity to showcase our capabilities as a stand-in force in the region.”
The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, participated in Exercise Noble Fusion, in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific,.
Noble Fusion highlights that Navy and Marine Corps forward-deployed stand-in naval expeditionary forces can rapidly aggregate MEU/ARG teams at sea, along with a carrier strike group, as well as other joint force elements and allies, in order to conduct lethal sea-denial training, seize key maritime terrain, guarantee freedom of movement, and create advantage for US, partner and allied forces.