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SATTAHIP, Thailand - Navy and Marine Corps units conducted a Maritime Prepositioned Force offload from two maritime prepositioning ships, the USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus and the USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin, Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron 3, here during Exercise Freedom Banner ’11 Jan. 22–25.
The exercise allowed the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III Marine Expeditionary Force to test its ability to conduct maritime prepositioning force operations. The equipment and supplies were off-loaded from two Military Sealift Command ships then transitioned in support of Exercise Cobra Gold ‘11.
“An MPF squadron, like MPSRON 3, can support a brigade-sized element of more than 16,000 people for up to 30 days. For Exercise Cobra Gold ’11, the MPF will provide 160 pieces of equipment that will be utilized by units within 3rd MEB,” said Lt. Col. Michael Curtin, 3rd MEB logistics officer. “MPSRON 3 is an operational asset to the Navy’s Seventh Fleet focusing on the Asia-Pacific region.”
“This is an important demonstration of the Marine Corps and Navy’s ability to project the force anywhere in the world. The Maritime Prepositioned Force is an important part of amphibious operations, a core competency of the Marine Corps, and a vital capability that contributes to America’s strategic advantage,” said Col. Darrin Denny, future operations officer, III MEF.
The exercise tested the unit’s ability to offload heavy combat equipment and supplies through a Roll on/Roll-off Discharge Facility and Improved Navy Lighterage System. The equipment is scheduled to be repositioned aboard both ships upon the conclusion of Cobra Gold ‘11.
“The Maritime Preposition Force ‘in-stream’ offload conducted during Freedom Banner ‘11 off the coast of Thailand was a tremendous opportunity to showcase the Navy and Marine Corps team’s ability to project combat power ashore without the use of a port facility,” said Col. Jim Rubino, commanding officer, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III MEF, and commander, Freedom Banner ‘11, Arrival and Assembly Operations Group. “The ‘in-stream’ aspect of this particular MPF operation demanded detailed amphibious planning and coordination between 3rd MEB, MPSRON 3, and Amphibious Group One Amphibious Group One Commander, Task Force 76 to ensure the safe and efficient offload of combat equipment.”
“In addition to force projection, the use of our MPF assets in Thailand demonstrates several other capabilities. The equipment from these ships will be used to support U.S. Pacific Command’s theatre campaign plan and ‘Phase 0’ activities,” said Denny. This phase’s activities generally refer to day-to-day security cooperation and engagement activities.
“The force we are bringing to Thailand would have likely been much smaller without this capability, reducing the level of engagement III MEF could realistically do with the Royal Thai Armed Forces and the other nations participating,” he added.
The RRDF is a series of nine interconnected pontoons which form a floating platform used to stage cargo at sea and the Improved Navy Lighterage System is comprised of powered and non-powered floating platforms assembled from interchangeable modular components.
The offload included the use of an Amphibious Assault Vehicle Platoon attached to Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF. The Platoon, from Company C, 2nd Amphibious Assault Battalion, 2nd MarDiv., II MEF, is based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. The platoon is currently on the Unit Deployment Program to Okinawa, Japan which provides trained and cohesive units for six-month rotations. The program rotates infantry battalions, artillery battalions, assault amphibious and light armored vehicle companies and some aircraft squadrons from the U.S. to Okinawa for six or seven month training cycles. UDP units are sent from I MEF, Camp Pendleton, Calif., and II MEF, Camp Lejeune, N.C. to temporarily augment III MEF on Okinawa.
“Additionally, our Unit Deployment Program plays a vital role in executing Freedom Banner ’11 and Cobra Gold ‘11. Without it, our level of participation would also have been reduced. UDP is a critical part of III MEF force structure, as demonstrated by the Amphibious Assault Platoon that participated in Freedom Banner ‘11 and in the upcoming Cobra Gold 11 exercise,” said Denny.
Cobra Gold ‘11 is an annual Thai/U.S. co-sponsored joint and multinational exercise. Participating nations include Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia. The purpose of the exercise is to improve partner nation interoperability and capacity to conduct joint and multinational planning and operations.
This type of training will enable countries to better respond to a regional contingency or natural disaster.
Cobra Gold 11 is a regularly scheduled exercise and is the latest in the continuing series of U.S. and Thailand military exercises designed to ensure readiness among the participating services.
For additional stories and photographs, visit http://www.marines.mil/unit/iiimef/pages/cg2011.aspx.
| Date Taken: | 01.22.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 01.31.2011 01:04 |
| Story ID: | 64492 |
| Location: | SATTAHIP, TH |
| Web Views: | 218 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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