U.S. Marines. M3E1 MAAWS multi-role grenade launcher. Training in Australia. - YouTube - MIL 3010

U.S. Marines from the 1st Marine Divison,the oldest Marine Corps Division,Marine Rotational Force-Darwin,and Australian troops practise with the M3E1 (MAAWS) Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapons System in the Northern Territory,Australia.Also there are automatic weapons practise and dismounted patrols.*Text by MIL 3010 and edited by Andrew Taylor

Pacific Perspective:Marine Rotational Force Reports to RAAF Darwin - plus Australia's Optimal Path

The first of 2500 US Marines arrived by chartered airliner at RAAF Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory on 16 March 2023.The Marines are part of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) under 1st Marine Regiment,Camp Pendleton,California.They will stay in Australia till October,training primarily with Indo-Pacific Region partners and deterring adversaries such as China and North Korea.It is their twelfth iteration of the annual deployment,which was initiated by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and President Barack Obama. Included in this year's deployment is the massive biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre,which brings together thousands of troops from Allies such as Australia,Japan,New Zealand,South Korea,the UK and the US.MRF-D will participate in high-end live fire drills.Besides the Northern Territory,they will train in Queensland and South Australia.* Eventually,US Navy and Royal Navy nuclear-powered attack submarines will rotationally deploy to Australia under the AUKUS defence pact beginning in 2027.According to the Royal Australian Navy:The pathway delivers significant long-term strategic benefits for Australia,the United Kingdom and the United States.It strengthens the combined industrial capacity of the three AUKUS partners,with increased cooperation making trilateral supply chains more robust and resilient.Key features of the AUKUS Optimal Pathway for Australian acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines include Increased Forward Presence of Royal Navy and US Navy nuclear-powered submarines to Australia to aid Australia in developing their knowledge base and industrial capabilities;the delivery of at least three Virginia-class attack submarines for the Royal Australian Navy beginning as soon as the early 2030s,with the potential to acquire up to two more if needed;the development,construction and delivery for the Royal Australian Navy of an advanced nuclear-powered submarine called 'SSN - AUKUS' incorporating Australian,UK and US technologies.* The Virginia-class attack submarines are designed and built by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries.* General Dynamics (GD),Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII)

Pacific Perspective:1st MARDIV Certifies for Australia Deployment

Marines and Sailors of 1st Marine Division and Expeditionary Strike Group 3 recently concluded Exercise Steel Knight 23.It certified the participants for deployment with the upcoming Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) in Australia's Northern Territory as I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).Thousands of Marines and Sailors enhanced naval integration,joint planning and expeditionary advanced base operations.The drills took place in two phases:a command post exercise (CPX) and a mission rehearsal exercise (MRX).In the CRX,each subordinate command was tested to collect intelligence on enemy forces;coordinate joint fires;and simulate strikes while sustaining the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with supplies across dispersed locations.CPX also enabled all-domain operations including cyber,space and information operations to complement kinetic operations in the operational environment.* MRX involved manoeuvring warships,Marine aviation squadrons and staging amphibious landings.Marines and Sailors responded to simulated crises and contingency scenarios in a contested environment.Said USN Rear Admiral James Kirk,commander,Expeditionary Strike Group 3:Simulated combat operations are ongoing to execute sea denial operations so that the joint force can then control and have freedom of movement,and can manoeuvre in a combat scenario to refine operational capabilities and tactics,techniques and procedures (TTPs).* Marines and Sailors also rehearsed the EABO (Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations),meaning employing forces in isolated environments and contested maritime areas.They tested their ability to plan,communicate and operate on small island chains;sea lanes;and aboard ships scattered across vast areas while still synchronised with one another.This took place across multiple locales in Southern and Central California.It's about working together to gain an advantage over a very challenging adversary (such as China,Russia or North Korea) while outpacing an enemy and achieving sea control,according to USMC Major General Benjamin Watson,commanding general of 1st MARDIV,I MEF and Rear Admiral Kirk.* In the course of the exercise,America-class Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7) played a significant role,as did Marine Aircraft Group 3,3rd Marine Aircraft Wing,which conducted an air assault on San Clemente island,California.A US Navy landing craft air cushion with Assault Craft Unit 5 carried an AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar.* The Tripoli allows the operation of both the MV-22 Osprey and F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.The warship is armed with 2 Rolling Airframe Missile launchers;2 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile launchers;2x20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts;and 7 x twin .50 BMG machine guns.It also carries electronic warfare devices such as 2 Mk53 Nulka decoy launchers.The Tripoli's complement is 102 officers;1102 enlisted;and 1687 Marines (plus 184 surge).It is the second America-class AAS,commissioned in July 2020.Its homeport is San Diego.*

Pacific Perspective:USMC Develops Aviation Combat Skills With Australian Allies

The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) of Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRD-F) conducted Exercises RAPTOR'S STRIKE 22 and DIAMOND STORM 22 with Australian Defence Force (ADF) counterparts from 2 May-24 June in Adelaide,South Australia,MRF-D reported.RAPTOR'S STRIKE enhanced low altitude air defence (LAAD) interoperability as LAAD Marines from Marine Air Combat Group 38 Detachment (MACG 38) integrated with ADF personnel.MRD-F Marines worked closely with 100 Air Defence Battery to improve integrated air and missile defence,thus demonstrating a primary feature of Force Design 2030 concepts and expeditionary advanced base operations.In the current Indo-Pacific Region environment,with a militarily assertive China and Russia causing concern from Japan to Taiwan and beyond,air defence assets are critical as they enable manoeuvring.Integrating these Marine Corps assets with Allied air defence capabilities further increases the ability to maintain freedom to manoeuvre.* Next,the MRD-F ACE moved on to DIAMOND STORM 22,providing aviation coordination and battlespace awareness to the Allied exercise force.Working beside Royal Australian Air Force counterparts,they developed key relationships;Anti-Air Warfare Tactics,Techniques and Procedures (TTP);and enhanced MRF-D battlespace awareness.While supporting real-world contingencies,the drills were also critical enablers of Exercises KOOLENDONG 22 and PITCH BLACK 22,which is led by the ADF.DIAMOND STORM was an Air Warfare Instructor Course incorporating top Australian pilots and Special Operations Forces. MACG 38 provided battlespace awareness and MRD-F Marines also supported the drills with MV-22 Osprey lift,transportation and manoeuvre.The ADF Air Warfare Centre and 88 Squadron focused on detailed integration of offensive air support;offensive counter-air;suppression of enemy air defences;fixed wing-delivered close air support;and Airborne Command and Control.The participants operated force-on-force against a thinking adversary with a comprehensive and modern integrated air defence system,within a contested electromagnetic spectrum environment and during the conduct of long-range combat assault transport missions.

Pacific Perspective:MRF-D and the Australian 1st Brigade Welcomes the Commandant of the Marine Corps

MRF-D and the Australian 1st Brigade Welcomes the Commandant of the Marine Corps: Gen. David Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps, visited with Marines and Sailors of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, and Soldiers of the Australian Defence Force on April 14. During the visit,

Outback Wargames Concluded in the Northern Territory by US Marines and Allies

US Marines with 1st Battalion,1st Marine Regiment,Marine Rotational Force-Darwin recently concluded Exercise Koolendong 16 in Australia's Northern Territory along with small contingents of their Australian and French allies.The two-week drills included live fire events;close air support;and capstone defensive live fire under chemical,biological,radiological and nuclear conditions,firing downrange while wearing protective suits and conducting a decontamination,representing an extremely austere geographical and warfighting environment.*
We are focusing on our core mission essential tasks,offense and defence,in a live fire environment and some of the harshest conditions,said Lieutenant Colonel Steven M. Sutey,company commander of MRF-D.*
HMLA-367 fulfilled the Air Combat Element of the exercise with their U1-1Y Huey helicopters.They executed several close air support evolutions;aerial command and control;armed reconnaissance;and forward air controller support for Marines on the ground.This provided MRF-D with full Marine Air-Ground Task Force assets.*
The closing drill of Koolendong 16 involved holding a battalion-size defensive position while working with the Air Combat Element for close air,and,in an extremely rare evolution,having to don gas masks as about 30 cans of CS gas were dropped into their fighting holes,adding a CBRN touch to the live fire environment,responding to CBRN conditions being one of these Marines' designated missions.*
Participating in Koolendong 16 were around 1300 US Marines and Sailors from MRF-D and 4th Marine Regiment Okinawa,Japan;100 Australian Defence Force troops from 8th/12th Australian Artillery Regiment,adding a capability the US Marines don't have in a MAGTF;and,in their first Exercise Koolagong,50 soldiers from the French Armed Forces New Caledonia infantry.