Iwo Jima ARG Finishes ARG/MEU Ex

The USS Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) completed a 23-day ARG/Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (ARG/MEU Ex) Sept. 24 and Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) Amphibious Assault Direction System (AADS) engineers were there to support.

The exercise was the first fully integrated, pre-deployment 2014 Iwo Jima ARG and 24th MEU exercise designed to prepare the ships and the MEU for upcoming deployment.

The exercise included operations such as damage control to Marine expeditionary and amphibious maneuvers that capitalize on ship-to-shore movements, simulated strait transits, mass casualty drills, and day- and night-flight operations. The training also offered Marines a chance to get their sea legs.

NSWC PCD Expeditionary and Maritime Systems Department Head Sheila Schnoering, said:

Deploying to deliver technical support and supporting expeditionary and amphibious maneuver exercises are a few of the ways we support fleet readiness.

This is how we provide technical solutions to complex problems and proudly enable naval programs to be successful.

Overall, AADS is a command-and-control capability that provides users with a graphic display to monitor movements and offers communication capabilities in a secure environment. NSWC PCD’s AADS team deployed to ensure the command and control data system that provides real-time information to command and control ships within the ARG worked as intended.

The engineers were also on hand to assist Sailors with use of the system. AADS can be installed on amphibious ships, landing craft air cushion (LCAC), and landing craft utility (LCU) used in expeditionary and amphibious maneuver missions. NSWC PCD is the in-service agent for AADS and fleet LCACs.

AADS software engineer Melissa Darby, said:

The AN/KSQ-1 (AADS) allows Sailors to identify, track, communicate with, and control amphibious landing craft from launch through transit over-the-horizon (OTH), off coast, and return while conducting maneuver warfare from the sea.

AADS also provides positional information on all participating ships as well as secure radio relay systems that extend beyond the line of sight. This is an important capability for amphibious and expeditionary maneuvers like this exercise.

NSWC PCD recently completed an AADS Gator 7.1 software and hardware upgrades. The Iwo Jima ARG will be the first ARG to deploy with these advanced capabilities. NSWC PCD supports amphibious and expeditionary maneuver systems like AADS as one of its core mission areas.

Iwo Jima ARG comprises amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43).

Press release, Image: US Navy