Six Barksdale Airmen took part in the U.S. Navy's longest-running annual joint exercise, UNITAS, April 29, at the Jacksonville Operational Areas off of the coast of Jacksonville, Fla.
Barksdale was invited in January to participate in the sinking of the USS Connolly. This particular exercise was named UNITAS Gold.
UNITAS joined militaries from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay to not only train, but promote naval security and solidity in the region. For 50 years, UNITAS has served as the primary naval security engagement exercise amongst the militaries of the Western Hemisphere.
The first exercise, named UNITAS 1, was launched in 1960 with 48 ships from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and the United States.
With the sinking of the USS Connolly, UNITAS Gold called for more than 25 ships, four submarines, more than 50 aircraft, 650 Marines and 6,000 Sailors from 11 different countries.
UNITAS Gold's purpose was to increase interoperability among participating Navies and in doing so, UNITAS allowed the assembled forces to organize and conduct combined naval operations in a multinational task force, and test its responsiveness.
"Through the years, UNITAS has evolved to fit the landscape, needs and mutual naval and maritime interests of the Americas and Caribbean," said Navy Rear Adm. Joseph Kernan, commander of the U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command and U.S. Fourth Fleet. "[UNITAS] has persistently provided a training and interoperability platform for partnered nations and provided great benefit to United States and Latin American Sailors, Marines, Naval Infantry and Coast Guard forces.
"Participating maritime services make UNITAS the success that it is today, bringing with them the ideas and best practices for maritime strategy and security from their countries," he continued.
The two-week exercise was designed to feature realistic scenarios which allowed training opportunities for those involved. Participants were able to be a part of live-fire exercises, undersea warfare, shipboard operations, maritime interdiction operations, anti-air and anti-surface warfare, amphibious operations, electronic warfare, and special warfare.
Although the exercise lasted 14 days, Barksdale's involvement only called for one day of activity to help sink the USS Connolly. B-52 crews from Barksdale and Minot Air Force Base, N.D, were invited to unload their weapons as the last attack to sink the retired vessel.
Barksdale and Minot's involvement was scheduled as phase eight of nine phases. The B-52s were going to be the final attack on the Connolly to make it sink.
The first weapon struck the vessel around 8:30 a.m.
Upon arrival to cite around 3 p.m., the six Barksdale members aboard DOOM 94 were informed the ship was already sinking. More than 1,600 weapons ranging from harpoons to rockets tore into the vessel.
"We saw the ship through the targeting pod and when we came back on the last leg we were prepared to bomb," said Capt. Colby Platner, 96th Bomb Squadron chief of strategic plans. "As we came up on the ship to unload our weapons, all we saw was debris and smoke."
The sinking of USS Connolly was set up for servicemembers involved to take a turn hitting the ship.
"Other militaries and branches were hitting the Connelly with their weapons before us, so there was a possibility it could sink by the time we arrived," said Capt. John Cornett, 2nd Operation Support Squadron operations group training plan flight commander. "Although we had to retain our weapons it was a great exercise, we still got a lot out of it. Barksdale worked with our Navy counterparts to complete the mission and we took away a joint operation integrations experience from this exercise."
After flying for more than seven hours and covering 2,500 nautical miles, the Louisiana-based crew returned to Barksdale.
"Although being there prepared to bomb and then seeing our target go down before we were able to accomplish what we train to do was frustrating, we understand training exercises don't always go as planned," said Capt. Platner. "It was still great training because it's the way we deploy - not only working with sister services but with allies as well. Anytime we get to work with another branch is a great learning experience."