[MilCom] Re: NavNews for Wednesday, June 16, 2004

[Greg Brazil]

Maybe you East & Gulf coast guys are hearing some of this.
>                                    -USN-
> 
>  NNS040615-20. CJTFEX 04-2 Kicks Off
> 
>  By Jennifer Colaizzi, U.S. Joint Forces Command Public Affairs
> 
>  NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Almost 30,000 U.S., British, and
>  other coalition forces kicked off a major live, virtual and
>  constructive (L-V-C) exercise June 12 in Hampton Roads and
>  along the U.S. Eastern seaboard that is intended to prepare
>  troops for multinational interoperability and to certify the USS
>  John F. Kennedy carrier strike group (CSG) for deployment.
> 
>  Combined Joint Task Force Exercise 04-2 (CJTFEX 04-2), a
>  U.S. Joint Forces Command directed and sponsored event, runs
>  through June 21, and executes DoD's Joint National Training
>  Capability (JNTC) operability priority, ensuring an initial
>  operational capability by October 2004.
> 
>  According to Marine Corps Lt. Col. Ben Sandlin, who was the
>  exercise planner and project officer for 16 months, JNTC
>  represents an enhanced way to train joint forces based on an
>  L-V-C environment, which uses manned simulators and
>  computer models, and blends existing operational and strategic
>  exercise facets with live forces.
> 
>  "The idea is to eventually have a melding of live, virtual and
>  constructive forces on the battleground, so that a player cannot
>  tell the difference between one and the other," said William
>  Johnson, CJTFEX 04-2 event planner.
> 
>  Concept developers are working toward this goal, but
>  throughout the duration of CJTFEX 04-2, players in simulators
>  could aim and shoot at simulated targets, but live forces would
>  not be targeting simulated opposition forces.
> 
>  "It's difficult for a live airplane to shoot at a simulated plane or
>  ground target, because there is no target to see visually and no
>  immediate feedback. The pilot can't say 'we saw the target
>  blow-up,'" said Johnson.
> 
>  USJFCOM planners say CJTFEX 04-2 will focus on a couple
>  of efforts to include providing realistic combat training; offering
>  an adaptive and credible opposing force; establishing common
>  ground truth; and giving high quality feedback. All of these efforts
>  play an important role in achieving forward deployed combatant
>  commander requirements.
> 
>  "Achieving and maintaining more agile, responsive and connected
>  forces means we must train efficiently and effectively. We're
>  challenging all assumptions, and this advanced joint training does
>  exactly that," said Vice Admiral Gary Roughead, commander of
>  the U.S. Second Fleet and Striking Fleet Atlantic, and the joint
>  task force commander for CJTFEX 04-2.
> 
>  As a result of this enhanced training environment, participants will
>  have a global, network-centric capability that strengthens military
>  transformation efforts to promote warfighter effectiveness.
> 
>  "This exercise provides all participants with invaluable experience
>  in joint and coalition operations, and I'm especially impressed
>  with the innovation and technical acumen that is enabling this
>  JNTC event," said Roughead. 
> 
>  Coalition forces from the United Kingdom, France, Italy,
>  Denmark, Peru, the Netherlands, Canada, Germany and
>  Norway, as well as U.S. troops returning from deployment and
>  reserve units will be participating in the exercise. 
> 
>  For related news, visit the U.S. Joint Forces Command Navy
>  NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/usjfc. 
>