Bold Alligator

Last updated

Bold Alligator is a multinational littoral warfare exercise hosted by the United States. It has been held annually since 2011. [1] In 2012, it involved 14,000 marines, sailors, airmen and soldiers, encompassing more than 25 ships and involving eleven countries, [2] with Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Australia, and other allied nations participating at sea, on land, and in the air, at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and in Virginia.

Contents

In 2014 the exercise involved 19 countries: [3]

Bold Alligator 2012

Bold Alligator 2012 US Navy 120126-N-YC845-001 The official logo of the amphibious exercise Bold Alligator 2012.jpg
Bold Alligator 2012

Bold Alligator 2012 (BA12) was the second annual joint and multinational amphibious assault exercise sponsored by the U.S. Fleet Forces Command and the U.S. Marine Forces Command. Held from 30 January to 12 February 2012, Bold Alligator 2012 was the largest amphibious assault exercise held on the east coast of the United States since 2002. Its objective was the revitalization of U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps amphibious expeditionary tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as the reinvigoration of combined Navy and Marine Corps operations from the sea. This live and synthetic, scenario-driven, simulation-supported exercise focused on the six core capabilities set forth in the current U.S. maritime strategy - forward presence, deterrence, sea control, power projection, maritime security, and humanitarian assistance/disaster response. [4] [5] [6]

Bold Alligator 2012 served as a key pre-deployment training exercises for Expeditionary Strike Group Two, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and Carrier Strike Group Twelve. Additionally, nine countries participated in this exercise, providing maritime, land, and air units or observers from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Bold Alligator 2012 was held ashore and afloat, in and off the coasts of Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida, and it culminated in three large-scale operations - an amphibious assault at Camp Lejeune; an aerial assault from the sea into Fort Pickett; and an amphibious raid on Joint Expeditionary Base East. [4] [5] [6]

Bold Alligator 2012 served as the Joint Task Force Exercise for Carrier Strike Group Twelve, the final pre-deployment training exercises needed to receive its combat-readiness certification. [5] [7] During this month-long underway period, Carrier Air Wing completed 3,830 flight hours, made 2,052 arrested landings, and received a 96 percent sortie completion rate. [8] [9] This included a single-day total of 107 sorties flown on 6 February 2012 during the amphibious assault phase of Bold Alligator 2012. [7] [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Seventh Fleet</span> Numbered fleet of the United States Navy

The Seventh Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. It is headquartered at U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It is part of the United States Pacific Fleet. At present, it is the largest of the forward-deployed U.S. fleets, with 50 to 70 ships, 150 aircraft and 27,000 Sailors and Marines. Its principal responsibilities are to provide joint command in natural disaster or military operations and operational command of all U.S. naval forces in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Fifth Fleet</span> Numbered fleet of the United States Navy

The Fifth Fleet is a numbered fleet of the United States Navy. Its area of responsibility encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles, and includes the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. It shares a commander and headquarters with U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in Bahrain. Fifth Fleet/NAVCENT is a component command of, and reports to, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Second Fleet</span> Numbered fleet of the United States Navy

The United States Second Fleet is a numbered fleet in the United States Navy responsible for operations in the East Coast and North Atlantic Ocean. Established after World War II, Second Fleet was deactivated in 2011, when the United States government believed that Russia's military threat had diminished, and reestablished in 2018 amid renewed tensions between NATO and Russia.

USS <i>Bataan</i> (LHD-5) Wasp-class amphibious assault ship

USS Bataan (LHD-5) is a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship in the United States Navy. The ship is named after the Battle of Bataan, fought in the Philippines during World War II. The ship enables the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps team to seamlessly transition from the sea to a land battle, as the lead ship and centerpiece of an Amphibious Ready Group. She is capable of amphibious assault, advance force, and special purpose operations, as well as evacuation and humanitarian assistance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAQ-135</span> Military unit

Electronic Attack Squadron 135 (VAQ-135), known as the "Black Ravens", is a United States Navy electronic attack squadron that currently operates the EA-18G Growler carrier-based electronic warfare jet aircraft. The squadron is permanently stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island with a radio callsign of "Thunder".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">24th Marine Expeditionary Unit</span> Military unit

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of a Command Element, a Ground Combat Element based on a reinforced infantry battalion, an Aviation Combat Element based on a reinforced tiltrotor squadron, and a Logistics Command Element based on a Combat Logistics Battalion. The 24th MEU is currently based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Air Wing Eight</span> Military unit

Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), is a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The air wing is attached to the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78)

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Air Wing Fourteen</span> Military unit

Carrier Air Wing Fourteen (CVW-14), was a United States Navy aircraft carrier air wing based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expeditionary Strike Group 3</span> Military unit

Expeditionary Strike Group 3 is an expeditionary strike group (ESG) of the U.S. Navy. Expeditionary strike groups combine the capabilities of surface action groups, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft with those of Amphibious Ready Groups for deployment and maintaining staff proficiencies to provide fleet commanders with a highly flexible, ready fly-away unit. It is capable of projecting expeditionary striking power in the maritime, littoral, and inland environs in support of U.S. national interests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Expeditionary strike group</span> Organizational unit within the US Navy

In the United States Navy, the expeditionary strike group (ESG) is a coordinated group of surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and other naval assets. In contrast to carrier strike groups (CSGs), which emphasize air power and are led by a supercarrier, ESGs are strongly suited for amphibious warfare and are led by an amphibious assault ship. The ESG concept was introduced in the early 1990s, based on the Naval Expeditionary Task Force. The U.S. Navy fields nine expeditionary strike groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Task Force 76</span> United States Navy task force

Expeditionary Strike Group SEVEN/Task Force 76 is a United States Navy task force. It is part of the United States Seventh Fleet and the USN's only permanently forward-deployed expeditionary strike group. It is based at the White Beach Naval Facility at the end of the Katsuren Peninsula in Uruma City, Okinawa, Japan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 10</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group 10, is a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. As of August 2022, CSG-10 consists of USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the strike group's current flagship, with Carrier Air Wing Seven embarked on board, as well as the Ticonderoga-class cruiserLeyte Gulf, and four ships of Destroyer Squadron 26.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 14</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group 14 was a U.S. Navy carrier strike group. The group was for some time the only U.S. carrier strike group that did not have an assigned aircraft carrier or carrier air wing. As of December 2010, it directed the cruisers USS Gettysburg (CG-64) and USS Philippine Sea (CG-58). Carrier Strike Group 14 was seemingly last based at Naval Station Mayport. Without a carrier flagship, it did not conduct the typical deployments of other carrier strike groups; instead, its two cruisers made independent voyages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foal Eagle</span> U.S.–South Korea military exercises

Foal Eagle is a combined field training exercise (FTX) conducted annually by the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and the United States Armed Forces under the auspices of the Combined Forces Command. It is one of the largest military exercises conducted annually in the world. Foal Eagle has been a source of friction with the government of Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and domestic ROK critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group Three 2004–09 operations</span>

Carrier Strike Group Three 2004–2009 operations included a world cruise, three western Pacific (WESTPAC) deployments and a change-over of its flagship. During this period, CARSTRGRU-3 provided combat operational support for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A) as well as participated such major exercises as Valiant Shield 2007, Key Resolve/Foal Eagle 2009, and Northern Edge 2009. The strike group's 2005 WESTPAC deployment marked the final overseas mission for Sea Control Squadron 33 (VS-33), the Screwbirds. Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 71 (HSM-71), a new component to Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9), became the first squadron of its kind to embark on board a carrier as part of a carrier air wing when it operated with Carrier Strike Group Three during its 2009 WESTPAC deployment

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime)</span> Royal Navys contribution to the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force

The Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) (or JEF(M)) (formerly the Response Force Task Group (RFTG), and prior to that the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF)), is the Royal Navy's contribution to the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) maintained at very high-readiness and available at short notice to respond to unexpected global events. In addition to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines, the JEF(M) also includes elements of the British Army and the Royal Air Force. While it is primarily poised to conduct war-fighting or strike operations, the JEF(M) is capable of undertaking a diverse range of activities such as evacuation operations, disaster relief or humanitarian aid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exercise Summer Pulse</span> 2004 U.S. Navy worldwide surge deployment

Summer Pulse 2004 (SP04) was the codename for a worldwide surge deployment that served as the first full-scale test of the United States Navy's then-new Fleet Response Plan (FRP). During Summer Pulse 2004, a total of seven carrier strike groups were underway at the same time in five different Numbered fleet areas of responsibility. This number of underway carrier strike groups had not been matched since the six carrier battle groups deployed during Operation Desert Storm. In addition to the carriers, the Navy also deployed 17 submarines and one submarine tender.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 5</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group 5, also known as CSG 5 or CARSTRKGRU 5, is the U.S. Navy carrier strike group assigned to the United States Pacific Fleet and permanently forward deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet. The Strike Group Flagship is the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) which also embarks Strike Warfare Commander, Carrier Air Wing Five and its nine squadrons. As of June 2015, CSG 5 includes two Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Destroyer Squadron Fifteen, which serves as the Sea Combat Commander and is responsible for nine assigned Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carrier Strike Group 12</span> Military unit

Carrier Strike Group Twelve is one of four U.S. Navy carrier strike groups currently assigned to the United States Fleet Forces Command. USS Gerald R. Ford is the aircraft carrier assigned as the strike group's flagship. Units currently assigned to Carrier Strike Group Twelve included Carrier Air Wing Eight; the Ticonderoga-class cruisersVicksburg and Normandy; and Destroyer Squadron 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commander Littoral Strike Group</span> Position in the British Navy

The Commander Littoral Strike Group (COMLSG) is a senior British Royal Navy Amphibious warfare appointment. COMLSG, who is based in Stonehouse Barracks, Stonehouse, Plymouth, reports to Commander United Kingdom Strike Force. It was first established in 1971 as Commodore Amphibious Warfare.

References

  1. ↑ "Navy, Marine Corps Begin Bold Alligator 2011". United States Navy . December 11, 2010. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ Soley, Joan (February 9, 2012). "Bold Alligator war game preps US allies for new threats". BBC News . Retrieved February 17, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Bold Alligator Brings Together 19 Nations, U.S. in Camp Lejeune". Dialogo Americas. Retrieved 2019-09-20.
  4. 1 2 "Bold Alligator 2012" (PDF). U.S. Navy. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  5. 1 2 3 "Bold Alligator 2012 to Revitalize Amphibious Operations". NNS120125-28. U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs. January 25, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  6. 1 2 Tyrone C. Marshall, Jr. (January 31, 2012). "Bold Alligator' Helps to Sustain Amphibious Operations". American Forces Press Service. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  7. 1 2 Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Peter Melkus, USN (February 10, 2012). "Enterprise Completes Successful Monthlong Underway". NNS120210-05. Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ↑ Kristin L. Grover (February 10, 2012). "CVW-1 Wraps-up Underway, Departs Enterprise". NNS120210-02. Enterprise Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  9. ↑ Kristin L. Grover (February 16, 2012). "CVW-1 wraps-up underway, departs Enterprise". Jet Observer. The Flagship / Military Newspapers of Virginia, Norfolk, VA. Retrieved 2012-06-03.
  10. ↑ "Marines storm U.S. beaches in training exercise". CBS News . February 7, 2012. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.