29 Jul 24. U.S. and ROK Forces Conduct Joint Combined Exchange Training at Kunsan Air Base. An Airman assigned to the 320th Special Tactics Squadron ensures an Airman’s parachute equipment is secured and properly fitted prior to a flight at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, July 23, 2024. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman James Johnson)
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In mid-July, Kunsan Air Base witnessed a unique event as paratroopers descended from the sky, marking the beginning of the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) hosted by Special Operations Command Korea (SOCKOR) from July 15-31, 2024. The training, involving U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces, aimed to enhance interoperability in realistic combat scenarios.
Paratroopers from both nations were delivered by a U.S. MC-130J Commando II and a ROKAF MC-130K Hercules flying in formation. The nearly three-week exercise included complex scenarios designed to replicate adversarial tactics. “A JCET is where USAF SOF train alongside our ROK SOF counterparts to rehearse mission essential tasks while enhancing our lethality,” said Capt. Raymond Lessig, 320th Special Tactics Squadron drop zone controller and mission commander.
SOCKOR and aligned units regularly train with ROK counterparts, including the ROK Army Special Warfare Command and Naval Special Warfare Flotilla command. The coordination among the 8th Fighter Wing, SOCKOR, the 353rd Special Operations Wing, ROK Air Mobility and Reconnaissance Command, and the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base was crucial for the exercise’s success.
“This is the fourth year we’ve conducted this training at Kunsan,” said Lessig, highlighting the support from the Wolf Pack. Col. Peter Kasarskis, 8th Fighter Wing commander, emphasized Kunsan’s strategic importance, saying, “Kunsan exemplifies readiness in the Indo-Pacific… It’s an agile power projection platform ready for any mission.”
Kunsan’s location and environment played a key role in the training, offering realistic conditions for airborne operations. As the JCET concluded, it underscored the strong military partnership between the U.S. and ROK forces and their commitment to regional security. For many, it was a rare opportunity to witness the seamless collaboration of two of the world’s leading military forces. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
30 Jul 24. Russian navy starts major drills involving most of its fleet. Russia’s navy began planned exercises involving most of its fleet in the Arctic and Pacific oceans as well and the Baltic and Caspian seas, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Russia is considered by most military analysts to have the world’s third most powerful navy after those of the United States and China, and Russia has a significant ballistic-missile nuclear submarine fleet.
The Russian drills, which include 20,000 personnel and 300 ships, will test the readiness and capabilities of the navy at all levels, the ministry said.
The drills will include over 300 combat exercises including practicing the use of anti-aircraft missiles, artillery, anti-submarine weapons and “passive interference, it added.
“Units and formations of the Russian Navy have begun conducting planned exercises in the operational zones of the Northern, Pacific and Baltic Fleets, as well as in the area of responsibility of the Caspian Flotilla,” the ministry said.
“The main purpose of the exercises is to check the actions of the military authorities of the navy at all levels, as well as the readiness of the crews of ships, units of naval aviation and coastal troops of the Russian navy to perform tasks.”
About 300 surface ships and boats, submarines and support vessels, some 50 aircraft and more than 200 units of military and special equipment will be involved in the combat training, the ministry said.
Since President Vladimir Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, the Russia’s Black Sea fleet – the only Russian fleet formation not taking part in the drills – has struggled to adapt to dynamic modern drone warfare and the chief of the navy was replaced earlier this year.
At celebrations of Russian navy day on Sunday, Putin warned the United States that if Washington deployed longer range missiles in Germany then Russia would station similar missiles in striking distance of the West.
Since launching an invasion on Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has conducted numerous military exercises on its own or with other countries, including China or South Africa.
In the past two months, Russia has also conducted a series of mobile nuclear missile launcher drills and tactical nuclear weapons deployment exercises. It has also increased military training with Belarus, which borders both Russia and Ukraine, conducting a series of comprehensive drills. (Source: Reuters)
29 Jul 24. Multinational Forces Execute Live-Fire Drills During RIMPAC 2024. During the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 exercise, multinational forces carried out live-fire sinking exercises (SINKEXs) on July 11 and July 19, sinking the decommissioned USS Dubuque (LPD 8) and USS Tarawa (LHA 1). The operations took place in waters 15,000 feet deep, over 50 nautical miles off the northern coast of Kauai. Participants included units from Australia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, and the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy.
SINKEXs are crucial for enhancing proficiency in real-world tactics and targeting. According to U.S. Navy Vice Adm. John Wade, RIMPAC 2024 Combined Task Force Commander, these exercises allow participating nations to refine their capabilities in complex maritime operations and demonstrate their commitment to regional security. The sinking of ex-Tarawa included the deployment of a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from a U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet, showcasing the missile’s precision and stealth capabilities.
Additionally, a U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber participated in a QUICKSINK demonstration, highlighting a low-cost method for defeating surface vessels. This initiative, funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, aims to provide flexible and effective options to neutralize maritime threats.
The ex-Dubuque, an Austin-class amphibious transport dock commissioned in 1967, and the ex-Tarawa, the lead ship of her class commissioned in 1976, were both decommissioned in the early 2010s. Their preparation for SINKEXs adhered to strict Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, ensuring the removal of materials harmful to the marine environment. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
The Kenyan Marine Commando Unit (KMCU) has taken part in action-packed training exercises delivered by the UK Royal Marines.
(Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
30 Jul 24. The Kenyan Marine Commando Unit (KMCU) has taken part in action-packed training exercises delivered by the UK Royal Marines, as part of a visit to Kenya by HMS LANCASTER, a British Royal Navy Frigate.
After Royal Marines from 42 Commando delivered training and practical demonstrations, Kenyan Marines-in-the-making took on the challenge of completing visit, board, search, and seizure exercises – tactics frequently used to counter piracy, terrorism, and smuggling.
These exercises are in addition to the basic training that the KMCU receive and show the UK and Kenya’s continued commitment to build a strong, capable, and adaptable Kenya Defence Forces as an anchor of regional stability and security.
The creation of the KMCU is a five-year partnership between the UK and Kenya to establish a self-sustaining training cycle through which the Kenyan Navy will be able to train their own Marine Commandos.
The KMCU made history in May 2023 when the first-ever cohort of Kenyan Marines completed a rigorous training programme which largely mirrors that undertaken by the Royal Marines.
The US Military have also played an integral role in the creation of the KCMU by ensuring this specialist and formidable force are equipped to the highest standard.
British High Commissioner to Kenya, Neil Wigan, said:
It’s fantastic to see that the UK and Kenya have taken advantage of this opportunity to add serious value to the Kenyan Marines training programme – a great example of how our security partnership is making a real difference to Kenya’s military capacity and capability. Together, we’re going far – making Kenya, the UK, and the region safer and more secure.
Commander Chris Sharp Royal Navy, Commanding Officer HMS Lancaster (Port):
HMS Lancaster’s visit to Kenya is a fantastic opportunity for Lancaster’s Royal Marines to train and exercise boarding operations with the Kenyan Marine Commando Unit, contributing to the UK and Kenya’s joint commitment to improve regional stability and security.
HMS LANCASTER visited the Port of Mombasa for a short operational break from patrols and as part of Combined Task Force 150, where it has recently conducted drug busts and completed other maritime security serials. It will then return to her long-standing presence in the Gulf region, focussed on promoting peace and stability. Her visit to Mombasa provides an opportunity to demonstrate the close, historic relationship between the UK and Kenyan Armed Forces.
The UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership is an ambitious five-year agreement delivering mutual benefits for the UK and Kenya and keeping our people safe; it is underpinned by the Defence Cooperation Agreement that provides the framework for this training programme. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)