Valiant Shield 2014 continues joint-interoperability training

  • Published
  • By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brok McCarthy
  • Joint Information Bureau Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  Despite several days of thunderstorms, torrential rainfall and a 6.7 earthquake that shook the island, Valiant Shield 2014 is moving forward, on schedule and meeting its prescribed training objectives.

"The exercise is going very well so far. We have met a lot of the objectives that we had planned for and accomplished a lot," said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Mike Huff, Valiant Shield 2014 chief exercise controller. "We chose to err on the side of safety and cancel a few flight events due to the weather, but in terms of mission execution, we were able to stay on track."

Now, just past the half-way point, Valiant Shield's scenarios continue to become more complex and demanding as the exercise continues to unfold through its scheduled Sept. 23 exercise end date.

Added to the inherent complexities found in each scenario is the challenge of coordinating more than 18,000 personnel, two carrier strike groups, 200 air assets and 19 surface ships together in the air and water around Guam, which is one of the only places in the world where sub-surface, surface and air forces can come together for training.

While there are a variety of scenarios being exercised, each designed to test a range of skills including maritime interdiction, defensive counter-air operations and command and control operations, perhaps the flashiest part of the exercise to date has been the Sept. 15 sinking exercise (SINKEX).

The live-fire SINKEX sank the decommissioned USS Fresno (LST 1182) in waters 18,000 feet deep, approximately 215 nautical miles northeast of Guam. Units from the Navy, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Marine Corps participated in the sinking exercise, firing a variety of ship and air craft-based weaponry to enhance tactical proficiency and targeting against a surface target at sea.

Lessons learned from exercises like VS14 assist the U.S. in developing both regional and global power-projection capabilities that provide a full range of options to succeed in defense of its interests and those of its allies and partners around the world.

"We started a bit slow in the air due to weather, but we have now overcome that and are aggressively pushing the exercise. So far, we have been very successful in achieving our goals, especially for informing the Air-Sea Battle concept," said Navy Rear Adm. Russell Allen, Valiant Shield 2014 exercise director. "Our opposition forces, both conventional and cyber, have been very helpful in helping us refine our tactics, techniques and procedures by presenting an increasing level of scenario difficulty each day -- something that is critical to the exercise. Overall, everything is on track for a successful exercise."

This is the fifth exercise in the Valiant Shield series that began in 2006. For more information, contact the Valiant Shield Joint Information Bureau at (671) 362-5294/5298 or e-mail USFJ.PAO.VS1@us.af.mil.