UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Colonel Mark DesensCommodore Pete Pagano

16 June 2011

KEARSARGE Amphibious Ready Group26th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Post Deployment Brief

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

THEATER SECURITY COOPERATION

OPERATIONAL TASKING

KSGARG & 26th MEU conducted missions across the full spectrum of operations from Humanitarian Assistance to Combat Operations

KSGARG & 26th MEU conducted missions across the full spectrum of operations from Humanitarian Assistance to Combat Operations

KINETIC OPERATIONS

ODYSSEY DAWN & UNIFIED PROTECTOR

ODYSSEY DAWN & UNIFIED PROTECTOR

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM

PAKISTAN FLOOD RELIEF

PAKISTAN FLOOD RELIEFEGYPT,

LEBANON CONTINGENCY

ALERT

EGYPT, LEBANON

CONTINGENCY ALERT COUNTER

PIRACY PATROLS

COUNTER PIRACY

PATROLS

BILATERAL TRAINING

BILATERAL TRAINING

BILATERAL TRAINING

BILATERAL TRAINING

Planned Deployment- Mostly Aggregated- Sequential

Planned Deployment- Mostly Aggregated- Sequential

Executed Deployment- Disaggregated- Complex- Continuous Planning- Simultaneous Execution

Executed Deployment- Disaggregated- Complex- Continuous Planning- Simultaneous Execution

Overview

2

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED 3

Amphibious Squadron FourPHIBRON 4

Amphibious Ready Group(ARG)

26th Marine Expeditionary Unit26th MEU

26th Marine Expeditionary Unit26th MEU

Supported/Supporting Command Relationship

Det, VMGR-2522 x KC-130J

Det, VMGR-2522 x KC-130J

TACRON 21 Det 1

Naval Beach Group Det D

VMM 266 (REIN)(Aviation Combat Element)

VMM 266 (REIN)(Aviation Combat Element)

Battalion Landing Team 3/8(Ground Combat Element)

Battalion Landing Team 3/8(Ground Combat Element)

Combat Logistics Battalion 26(Logistics Combat Element)

Combat Logistics Battalion 26(Logistics Combat Element)

LSD 50 USS CARTER HALL

LHD 3 USS KEARSARGE

LPD 15 USS PONCE

1st Bn, 2nd Mar (-)(REIN)(Ground Combat Element)

(Libya)

1st Bn, 2nd Mar (-)(REIN)(Ground Combat Element)

(Libya)

Fleet SurgicalTeam 6

Task Organization

CPR4/ARG Personnel:1,946 Sailors

26th MEU Personnel:2,892 Sailors and Marines

26th MEU Personnel:2,892 Sailors and Marines

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Pakistan Humanitarian Assistance• Heavy flooding affected 14.5 million people, destroying

more than 722,000 homes prompting early deployment• Deployed 4 x CH-53E via Stratlift ISO Pakistan HA/DR• Close coordination with PAK Mil, World Food Programme,

and World Health Organization• Predictive Analysis of flood waters by MEU S-2 influenced

Ambassador and PAKMIL decisions• Austere Conditions: No material handling equipment.

Minimal hygiene and life support

Duration of Mission 57 days

Total Supplies Delivered

3,159,786 lbs

Average Heat Index

(Day/Night)

103 F

4

“Any Clime and Place”

“If You Fly, You Work”

KSG

CTH PON

FORCE LAYDOWN

53 DET

KSG: NATIONAL TASKINGCTH: MARITIME SECURITY OPSPON: FHA/DR ALERT

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

EDGED MALLET: KENYA

JODP: JORDAN

IRON MAGIC: UAE RED REEF: SAUDI ARABIA

EASTERN SAILOR: QATAR

Flexible, Relevant, Made an ImpactFlexible, Relevant, Made an Impact

Theater Security Cooperation

5

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAYEDGED MALLET

IRON MAGIC

RED REEF

EASTERN SAILOR

JODP

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Purpose• Deny enemy sanctuary by

restricting freedom of movement within the Upper Gereshk Valley

• Support Afghan Gov’t build Rte 611

• Support Village Stability Operations IVO Mirmandab, Tambah, and FOB Rob

Key Takeaways• MEU Main Effort; accepted risk to

MEU (-)• Trained to OEF standards in PTP• BLT 3/8 Integration with VMM-266

during MEU PTP facilitated aggressive and safe heliborne operations

• Integration with MARSOC ISO Village Stability Operations

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Afghanistan

II

3 8

KSGCTHPON

BLT(+)

KSG: NEO BPT, ODYSSEY DAWNCTH: MARITIME SECURITY OPSPON: NEO BPT, ODYSSEY DAWN

FORCE LAYDOWN

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Operational FlexibilitySituation Late February 2011

• Regional Unrest– Lebanon Special Tribunal– “Arab Spring”

• Tunisia • Egypt• Libya

• KEARSARGE and ENTERPRISE in Red Sea• BLT 3/8(REIN) and 6 x MV-22B in Afghanistan

ENTERPRISE to OEFKEARSARGE to Libya

ARG/MEUs - operating from land, sea, and air – provide tactical and operational flexibility to

the Combatant Commander

EGYPTEGYPTSAUDI ARABIASAUDI ARABIA

IRANIRAN

YEMENYEMEN

OMANOMAN

SYRIASYRIA

IRAQIRAQJORDANJORDAN

UAEUAE

BAHRAINBAHRAINQATARQATAR

KUWAITKUWAIT

LEBANONLEBANON

ALGERIAALGERIA

MOROCCOMOROCCO

LIBYALIBYA

TUNISIATUNISIA

MOROCCOMOROCCO

KSGCTHPON

FORCE LAYDOWN

BLT(+)

KSG: NEO BPT, ODYSSEY DAWNCTH: MARITIME SECURITY OPSPON: NEO BPT, ODYSSEY DAWN

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AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

Combat Power from the Sea

JFACC HQJFACC HQ

TACAIR TACAIR AVIANO, AVIANO,

ITALYITALY

MEU Decision Cycle MEU Decision Cycle 800 ft / 800 ft / minutesminutes

Distance to target area Distance to target area 100 - 300 nm100 - 300 nm

JFACC Decision Cycle JFACC Decision Cycle 350 nm / 350 nm / hourshours

Distance to target area Distance to target area 1000 - 3000 nm1000 - 3000 nm

Big Deck Amphibs & STOVL StrikeRapid Response…Deadly effects

Big Deck Amphibs & STOVL StrikeRapid Response…Deadly effects

AV-8B Targets Destroyed:• 35 T-72s • 25 APCs• 4 HET Vehicles

• 2 SP Arty• 2 MRL• 1 SCUD

• USS KEARSARGE supported four embarked staffs simultaneously

• TACRON 21 Det provided JOA-wide 24/7 Tactical Air Command and Control

• Joint Intelligence Center provided JOA-wide support

• Coalition Integration

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OPERATION ODYSSEY DAWN / UNIFIED PROTECTORKSG

CTH

PON

FORCE LAYDOWN

BLT(+)

KSG: ODYSSEY DAWNCTH: MARITIME SECURITY OPSPON: ODYSSEY DAWN

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

• On 21 March 2011, “BOLAR 34”, a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle crashed east of Benghazi, Libya

• MEU TRAP determined best available:– Uncertain Environment– Most responsive force

• 47 minutes from MV-22B launch to pilot recovery

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“BOLAR 34” TRAP

MV-22B executed 45 min faster than the next available platform

150 nm

Timeline• 2138Z ARGMEU notified• 2250Z AV-8B Launch• 2332Z MV-22B TRAP Force

launched• 2351Z CH-53E QRF Launch• 0019Z Pilot Recovered by

MV-22B• 0100Z TRAP Force and Pilot

Recovered aboard KSG

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

• Key enablers to improve disaggregated capabilities:

– LSD 41 class C4I enhancements• LINK• Bandwidth

– 3rd MH-60S assigned to ARG• A third MH-60S allows full exploitation of the Armed Helo kit equipped helicopter

– Training• Intel• Comms

– KC-130J dedicated support provides:• Flexible asset enabling the broad range of MAGTF missions• Realizes the full potential of MV-22B and STOVL aviation

– Staff• Requires review of existing Command Element structure

Improve Disaggregated Operations without compromising preparation for Major Combat Operations

Improve Disaggregated Operations without compromising preparation for Major Combat Operations

Key Takeaway: Disaggregated Operations

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UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

• Inherent Flexibility of ARG/MEU – Conducted Full Spectrum OPS: Humanitarian Assistance to Combat

Operations– Provided Persistent and Flexible Sea Base

• KEARSARGE:– National Tasking– On station and on alert in northern Red Sea for Egypt contingencies– Operation ODYSSEY DAWN / UNIFIED PROTECTOR

• CARTER HALL:– 2 x MH-60S, SOF detachment embarked for nearly two months of

continuous training• PONCE:

– Operation ODYSSEY DAWN / UNIFIED PROTECTOR

Provided COCOM with flexible, forward-deployed capabilities

Provided COCOM with flexible, forward-deployed capabilities

Key Takeaway: Seabasing

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UNCLASSIFIED

UNCLASSIFIED

• Invest in Amphibious Forces

– Improve Disaggregated Capabilities

• Advocate for Big Deck Amphibs and STOVL aviation

– Seabasing provides flexible forward deployed capabilities across the spectrum of military operations

• Strategic Investment in Djibouti

• Sustain Relevance / Access to Kuwait

Recommendations

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