Showing posts with label 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Show all posts
Sunday, April 9, 2023
Pacific Perspective:USMC,ROK Marines and Royal Marines Join Forces
Exercise Ssang Yong 23 brought together Marines from three nations-the US,Republic of Korea and the UK-for ten days of high intensity training in ROK.The US Navy Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and ROK Navy supported the drills.Live-fire ranges,ROKMC ranger training,fast roping and rappelling,military free-fall and subject matter expert exchanges characterised the exercise.The drills culminated in an amphibious assault.According to Captain Jonathan Eaton,combat cargo officer,Amphibious Squadron 7:Conducting an over-the-horizon assault from the ARG is an advanced manoeuvre.Conducting an OTH assault as a multinational unit under a single commander of the Amphibious Task Force,across the same beach,demonstrates advanced capabilities as an Allied force.*
Said Captain Christian Thiessen,technical information operations officer,13th Marine Expeditionary Unit:This event rehearsed combined forcible entry operations in the event the ARG/MEU is required to join the ROKMC for combat operations.*
For its part,40 Commando Royal Marines deployed to Korea for the first time since the Korean War.Their Bravo Company trained in crisis response,disaster relief,amphibious landing and coastal defence scenarios with the USMC and ROKMC.It was part of ongoing Royal Navy efforts in the strategically important region,where the security situation is challenging and complex,the RN said.*
Ssang Yong 23 involved around 28,000 Korean and US Sailors and Marines;30 warships;70 aircraft;and 50 amphibious assault vehicles.It took place near the port city of Pohang,on the South Korean coast about 160 mi/257.49 km from the capital Seoul.40 CDO operated as part of a combined surveillance team,helping exercise commanders make crucial operational decisions through reconnaissance actions ashore,and directing strikes onto targets.*
Said Major Aran Sandiford RM,RM exercise commander:This deployment has provided a fantastic opportunity to further the Royal Marines' partnership with the ROK Marine Corps and US Marine Corps;two of the foremost amphibious forces in the world.Ultimately,Royal Marines must be able to deploy,sustain and fight anywhere in the world alongside our Allies and Partners.*
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Marine Expeditionary Unit Key in Recent Combat vs. IS
The 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit played a major role in recent strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria.Particularly impressive was the air combat element provided by the F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters of Fighter Attack Squadron (VFMA) 211, the Avengers. Their effort was characterised by 13th MEU Commander COL Candler Nelms as being:
A considerable portion of the ordnance that was dropped in theatre... They were active and did very well... But there's no breaking point with these guys;they just crushed it.*
The Avengers were flying off the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The ARG's deployment has taken it to the Indo-Pacific and into the Middle East, with the Avengers flying their first combat missions in close air support in Afghanistan in September 2018.
They then moved on to missions in Syria and Iraq, providing close air support and defensive counter air as a precaution, what with Russian aircraft being active in Syria.There were no incidents with the Russians.
The Avengers flew twice the amount of flight hours a Harrier squadron could have, according to COL Nelms.*
Other MEU assets used included the CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopter for airlift in Iraq, and a battery of M777 howitzers deployed to Syria.*
COL Nelms explained that:
When combined with inherent capabilities of the 13th MEU and Essex ARG, the F-35B strengthens the amphibious force through new and increased multi-mission capabilities, making our team a more lethal and survivable crisis response force.*
The ARG, for its part,consists of:
Amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23);
And Amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47);
in addition, the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21;
Detachments from Assault Craft Unit 5;
Naval Beach Group 1;
Beachmaster Unit 1;
Fleet Surgical Team 3;
Tactical Air Control Squadron 11 and other assets.*
Within the MEU are the command element; aviation combat element; ground combat element; and logistics combat element.*
Operation Inherent Resolve continues as the Syrian Democratic Forces destroy the last IS urban stronghold in Baghouz, Syria, backed by Coalition partners.
A considerable portion of the ordnance that was dropped in theatre... They were active and did very well... But there's no breaking point with these guys;they just crushed it.*
The Avengers were flying off the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) as part of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The ARG's deployment has taken it to the Indo-Pacific and into the Middle East, with the Avengers flying their first combat missions in close air support in Afghanistan in September 2018.
They then moved on to missions in Syria and Iraq, providing close air support and defensive counter air as a precaution, what with Russian aircraft being active in Syria.There were no incidents with the Russians.
The Avengers flew twice the amount of flight hours a Harrier squadron could have, according to COL Nelms.*
Other MEU assets used included the CH-53E Super Stallion heavy-lift helicopter for airlift in Iraq, and a battery of M777 howitzers deployed to Syria.*
COL Nelms explained that:
When combined with inherent capabilities of the 13th MEU and Essex ARG, the F-35B strengthens the amphibious force through new and increased multi-mission capabilities, making our team a more lethal and survivable crisis response force.*
The ARG, for its part,consists of:
Amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD 23);
And Amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47);
in addition, the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21;
Detachments from Assault Craft Unit 5;
Naval Beach Group 1;
Beachmaster Unit 1;
Fleet Surgical Team 3;
Tactical Air Control Squadron 11 and other assets.*
Within the MEU are the command element; aviation combat element; ground combat element; and logistics combat element.*
Operation Inherent Resolve continues as the Syrian Democratic Forces destroy the last IS urban stronghold in Baghouz, Syria, backed by Coalition partners.
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Exercise Prepares US,South Korean,Australian and New Zealand Forces for Amphibious Assault
Exercise Ssang Yong 2016 is underway in the Pacific Ocean and the Southeast Korean Penninsula.More than 17,000 troops from the US,Republic of Korea,Australia and New Zealand commenced the drills on 10 March.On 12 March,US Marine Corps and US Navy personnel from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit,Camp Pendleton,California and the 31st MEU,Japan,joined ROK Marines,Australian Army and Royal New Zealand Army troops for amphibious assault training at Doksukri Beach,South Korea.A flotilla of 19 ships took part in the effort,7 of them from Expeditionary Strike Group 7,which is drawn from 2 Amphibious Ready Groups and has more than 9,000 Marines.Ships from the Royal Australian Navy,Royal New Zealand Navy and 3 ROK ships from Commander,Flotilla sailed in a joint Marine Expeditionary Brigade/Expeditionary Strike Group.*
The role of the 13th MEU is to conduct amphibious operations that help build a greater partnership with other naval forces in the Korean theatre of operations,said 13th MEU commander Colonel Anthony Henderson.It gives us an opportunity to show how we conduct our full spectrum of operations from amphibious landings to humanitarian assistance.The MEU will help support the MEB/ESG with its ground,logistics and aviation combat elements,COL Henderson explained.Amphibious landings,aviation operations and landing craft air cushion surface operations will be supplemented by the Marines also doing community service ashore for a well-rounded experience.*
Upholding the reputation of the 1st Marine Regiment,the Marine Corps legacy of being fierce combatants in the Korean War,is very much on the minds of the 13th MEU Marines,who will execute live-fire training in the course of the exercise.*
What we have done for the last year as a naval integrated team with all these ships and how we function across our mission sets-using the sea as manoeuver,providing presence and ensuring stability by our operations-is what we train to and what we're prepared to demonstrate in Ssang Yong 2016,said Sergeant Cesar Martinez,an infantry platoon sergeant with the Fighting 13th Marines and Sailors.
The role of the 13th MEU is to conduct amphibious operations that help build a greater partnership with other naval forces in the Korean theatre of operations,said 13th MEU commander Colonel Anthony Henderson.It gives us an opportunity to show how we conduct our full spectrum of operations from amphibious landings to humanitarian assistance.The MEU will help support the MEB/ESG with its ground,logistics and aviation combat elements,COL Henderson explained.Amphibious landings,aviation operations and landing craft air cushion surface operations will be supplemented by the Marines also doing community service ashore for a well-rounded experience.*
Upholding the reputation of the 1st Marine Regiment,the Marine Corps legacy of being fierce combatants in the Korean War,is very much on the minds of the 13th MEU Marines,who will execute live-fire training in the course of the exercise.*
What we have done for the last year as a naval integrated team with all these ships and how we function across our mission sets-using the sea as manoeuver,providing presence and ensuring stability by our operations-is what we train to and what we're prepared to demonstrate in Ssang Yong 2016,said Sergeant Cesar Martinez,an infantry platoon sergeant with the Fighting 13th Marines and Sailors.
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