The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and America Amphibious Ready Group executed a model sojourn, board, search, and seizure mission, here, September 6 .
The exercise began with detailed planning across all three ships assigned to the America ARG. During the execution, dock landing ship USS Germantown ( LSD 42 ) posed as a alien embark that had been identified as a non-compliant vessel transporting illicit cargo, while amphibious conveyance dock ship USS New Orleans ( LPD 18 ) and amphibious assault ship USS America ( LHA 6 ) carried out the imitate mission.
Marines with the Maritime Raid Force, 31st MEU assaulted LSD 42 from the air, fast roping to the pack of cards from Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopters assigned to the Archangels of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 Detachment 6 and a CH-53E Super Stallion assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 .
MRF Marines cut through simulated barriers and entered the embark, clearing through the ship ’ s narrow-minded passageways to detain hostile forces and locate the conceptional hoard of illegal weapons .
The 31st MEU ’ south MRF is made up of a Force Reconnaissance Platoon, an amphibious Reconnaissance Platoon, and a security component .
“ The Force Reconnaissance Platoon is trained and certified through multiple courses and many hours of teaching, ensuring they are tactically and technically adept at nautical interdict operations, ” said the FRP commander, Capt. Alexander Lizotte ; “ I have full confidence in the ability of each member of my platoon to successfully plan and execute VBSS. ”
Every MEU trains to this mission, however, as the lone continuously ahead deployed MEU, the 31st MEU must be prepared to execute VBSS in the Indo-Pacific area at any time, including contest waters in the South China Sea. The ability to execute VBSS is a key partially of the 31st MEU ’ second role in ensuring security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region .
“ As a forward deploy MEU, we provide the most elastic and reactive capability in the worldly concern to interdict international threats at sea, ” said Capt. Steven Anderson, ARP commanding officer for the 31st MEU. “ Executing VBSS is an model of the potency and deadliness of the Navy-Marine Corps team, ” Anderson said.
The United States remains entrust to supporting exemption of seafaring and international police of the ocean, and the 31st MEU ’ s ability to execute VBSS missions contributes to these broader objectives .
“ The Commandant of the Marine Corps gave specific teaching in his design steering to be foremost on the setting, first to help, foremost to contain a brew crisis, and if required to do so, foremost to fight. The tactical discipline and aggressive action displayed this weekend by the Sailors and Marines of Amphibious Squadron 11 and the 31st MEU demonstrates to our Commandant, our allies and partners, and our adversaries that we are train to do just that, ” said Col. Michael Nakonieczny, commanding officer of the 31st MEU .
The 31st MEU and America ARG operated in the South China Sea for a short time before moving on to continue planned exercises elsewhere in the region .
The America ARG – 31st MEU team is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a quick crisis reception force to defend peace and constancy in the Indo-Pacific region .
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