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Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven exercise designed to
train and integrate Navy and Marine Corps units by providing
a robust training environment where forces plan for and
establish expeditionary advanced bases (EAB), execute an
amphibious assault, engage in live-fire events, and
integrate fifth-generation aviation capabilities in a land
and maritime threat environment to test new integration and
concepts of operation.
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October 24, 2017 - Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD
2) simulates a strait transit as part of Dawn Blitz 2017. Dawn Blitz
is a scenario-driven exercise designed to train and integrate Navy
and Marine Corps units by providing a robust training environment
where forces plan and execute an amphibious assault, engage in
live-fire events, and establish expeditionary advanced bases in a
land and maritime threat environment to improve naval amphibious
core competencies. (U. S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist 2nd Class Irwin Sampaga)
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Planning and preparations began
for Dawn Blitz in October 2016. This exercise is the
culmination of a year's worth of effort by the 1st MEB and
ESG-3 staffs. Participants include combined force of C3F,
ESG-3, 1st MEB, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU),
Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 21, USS Essex (LHD 2), USS
Anchorage (LPD 23), USS Rushmore (LSD 47), USS Wayne E.
Meyer (DDG 108), and Coastal Riverine Group 1. With
supporting elements, seven ships and 33 aircraft made the
exercise possible.
A key focus was integration between
the Navy and Marine Corps to establish a powerful maritime
force capable of meeting modern threats. The team examined
the composite warfare construct and other command and
control arrangements to promote unity of effort in littoral
warfare.
“The amphibious force integration we've seen
here at Dawn Blitz and the experimentation and innovation
that’s been conducted, further informs how we might
establish sea control and power projection on tomorrow's
battlefield,” said Col. Chandler Nelms, the Dawn Blitz
amphibious force’s deputy commander, land warfare commander
and also commanding officer of 13th MEU.
In scenario,
Dawn Blitz began when the United Nations issued a Security
Council Resolution prompting the U.S. to deploy at the
request of a partner nation alongside other coalition
members to restore the internationally recognized borders of
a fictional country. The scenario’s sequence of events was
designed to provide realistic, relevant training to
integrate forces in new ways, critical to maritime power
projection.
As the exercise progressed, units
demonstrated the ability to establish EABs on San Clemente
Island and Camp Pendleton, California, through tactical
insertion of ground forces. The scalable EABs provided
warfare commanders alternative options that enabled maneuver
capabilities in the littoral environment.
Marines and
Sailors established two EAB forward arming and refueling
points (FARP). In one scenario the FARP serviced both Navy
and Marine Corps aircraft, in the other, the FARP provided
the commanders a secure location to service aircraft
supporting operations in the deep fight.
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October 27, 2017 - An amphibious assault vehicle (AAV) departs the
well deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship
USS Anchorage (LPD 23) during the assault evolution of Dawn Blitz
2017. Dawn Blitz is a scenario-driven amphibious exercise designed
to train and integrate Navy and Marine Corps units by providing a
robust training environment where forces plan and execute an
amphibious assault, engage in live-fire events, and establish
expeditionary advanced bases in a land and maritime threat
environment to improve naval amphibious core competencies. (U.S.
Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Abby Rader)
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Navy
Expeditionary Combat Command (NECC) Pacific forces from the
Coastal Riverine Force, Seabees and Explosive Ordnance
Disposal participated on San Clemente Island to augment EAB
operations as an adaptive force package (AFP). The NECC
forces conducted events in support of live airfield damage
repair (ADR), Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM) and
the amphibious assault landing.
For the first time,
the blue-green team validated that they could launch a High
Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) from Navy ship and
hit a target at 70 kilometers. The proof of concept with the
HIMARS as a sea-based fires alternative afloat provides
warfare commanders greater flexibility when conducting
precision strikes.
To further capitalize on the
HIMARS capabilities, Marines and Sailors transported the
weapons system to an EAB in a hypothetical island chain.
There, the HIMARS could be used in a sea denial role in
support of naval shipping transiting a narrow strait.
The simulated strait transit allowed the strike group to
practice utilizing integrated blue/green force protection
measures, and to practice maneuvering together though
restricted waters where ships can be vulnerable.
Throughout Dawn Blitz, the F-35B Lightning II supported
operations across four of the six functions of Marine
aviation: electronic warfare, aerial reconnaissance,
anti-air warfare, and offensive air support. The F-35B was
the force’s deep strike capability, and, for the first time,
it successfully integrated with the sea-based HIMARS during
the combined arms strike.
Navy medicine also made milestones, by establishing Role 2
surgical capabilities across the amphibious force. Historically,
only the largest ship in an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) has an
embarked Fleet Surgical Team, making it the only ship with surgical
capability.
“The demand signal for mobile Role 2 care has risen over the past
decade, both from the missions that are requested of the deploying
ARG, and also by the nature of ARG deployments, which are
increasingly disaggregated in which the ships operate far from each
other and therefore can’t rely on the LHD for surgical support,”
said Cmdr. Robert Staten, Officer in Charge of Fleet Surgical Team
9.
The addition of Role 2 coverage on each of the two smaller
ships provided an innovative capability along with the opportunity
to experiment bringing that echelon of care ashore following an
amphibious assault.
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October 27, 2017 - U.S. Marines disembark a landing craft air
cushion (LCAC) to begin the Red Beach tactical maneuvering portion
of the bilateral exercise Dawn Blitz 2017. Dawn Blitz 2017 is a
scenario-driven amphibious exercise designed to train and integrate
Navy and Marine Corps units by providing a robust training
environment where forces plan and execute an amphibious assault,
engage in live-fire events, and establish expeditionary advanced
bases in a land and maritime threat environment to improve naval
amphibious core competencies. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication
Specialist Seaman Apprentice Jailene Casso)
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The culminating training event of Dawn Blitz
occurred Oct. 27, when U.S. Navy's Assault Craft Unit 5, Beach
Master Unit 1, U.S. Marine Corps' 1st Battalion, 4th Marine
Regiment, and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force infantry soldiers
led an assault on Camp Pendleton's Red Beach. Eighteen amphibious
assault vehicles and six landing crafts, air cushion landed on the
beach for additional training ashore, and to establish the final
EAB.
“Our Sailors and embarked Marines displayed exceptional
professionalism and warfighting readiness in the execution of the
amphibious assault,” said Capt. Patrick Foege, Commander, Amphibious
Squadron 1. “The ARG/MEU performed as a cohesive, single entity,
demonstrating the inherent mobility and operational flexibility that
this integrated naval force brings to the combatant commanders.”
Overall, Dawn Blitz 2017 brought 2,900 Sailors and 1,600 Marines
together to train, validate new concepts, and build ties. The
success of this exercise continues to show the strength of the
Navy-Marine Corps team, and the demonstration of our lethality and
ability to fight and win in the future operating environment.
By U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sean Gallagher
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2017
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