Bonhomme Richard ESG Begins Exercise Ssang Yong 2016

  U.S. ships from the Boxer and Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Groups sail with the Dokdo Amphibious Ready Group from the Republic of Korea as part of Ssang Yong 16. Ssang Yong is a biennial military exercise focused on strengthening the amphibious landing capabilities of the Republic of Korea, the U.S., New Zealand and Australia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Darien J. Bjorndal, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class James Vazquez, Commander Amphibious Squadron 11 Public Affairs

EAST SEA (NNS) -- U.S. Sailors and Marines of Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 and 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3D MEB), commenced exercise Ssang Yong 16 in the Republic of Korea (ROK) March 9.

 Ssang Yong, which means "Twin Dragons," is biennial combined exercise conducted by Navy and Marine Corps forces with the ROK to strengthen interoperability and working relationships across the range of military operations from disaster relief to complex, expeditionary operations.

 This year, U.S. Marines and Sailors are participating in exercise Ssang Yong 16 with the 7th ROK Marine Corps Regimental Landing Team 7 (ROKMC RLT-7), Australian Army, and Royal New Zealand Army forces.

 "Ssang Yong offers the U.S. and ROK the opportunity to test their ability to operate together as an integrated combined naval force," said Rear Adm. John Nowell, commander, ESG 7. "Its significance in assuring interoperability between the U.S. and ROK forces is inestimable."

 During Ssang Yong, approximately 9,200 U.S. Marines and 3,100 U.S. Navy personnel will work alongside 4,500 ROK Marine Corps, 3,000 ROK Navy, 100 Australian Army, and 60 Royal New Zealand Army forces.

 "The sheer number of personnel involved is extremely impressive," said Capt. Ed Thompson, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 11. "There are a lot of moving parts and things that need to align for a successful exercise. When they do, it is truly amazing to see how we operate together."

 During Ssang Yong, U.S. and ROK combined forces will conduct beach landings, flight operations, and personnel exchange and cross platform exercises which ensure that various components of ROK and U.S. Naval and Marine forces are able to respond to contingencies on the peninsula and across the Asia-Pacific region.

 "We look forward to an efficient and successful exercise with one of our closest and oldest allies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region," said Nowell.

 The Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHRESG) with embarked Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11 and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) consists of amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6), and amphibious dock landing ships USS Ashland (LSD 48) and USS Germantown (LSD 42), and Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67).

 Joining the BHRESG is the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (BOXARG), which consists of amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18), amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), PHIBRON 1, and 13th MEU 4th Marines, Combat Logistics Regiment 35, 1st Tank Battalion and I MEF Crisis Response Force Company. All units fall under 3rd MEB during the exercise.

 Commander, Flotilla (COMFLOT) 5 consisting of amphibious assault ship ROKS Dokdo (LPH-6111), amphibious landing ship class ROKS Cheon Wang Bong (LST 686), Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class destroyer ROKS Munmu the Great (DDH 976) is among the ROK assets participating in the exercise.

Boxer ARG, 13th MEU Join ROK Forces in Ssang Yong 2016

U.S. ships from the Boxer and Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Groups are underway with the Dokdo Amphibious Ready Group from the Republic of Korea during Ssang Yong 2016. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps team are committed to the ROK-U.S. Alliance and conduct exercises regularly to ensure interoperability and maintain strong working relationships to support the sovereignty of the Republic of Korea.  Ssang Yong familiarizes American armed forces with the Korean peninsula and builds upon the strong preexisting relationship between the two militaries. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Darien J. Bjorndal/ Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Matthew Jackson, USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs

EAST SEA (NNS) -- Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are participating in exercise Ssang Yong 16 (SY16), March 8-18, in and around Pohang, Republic of Korea (ROK).

 Ssang Yong, which means "twin dragons," is a biennial exercise hosted by the ROK to strengthen interoperability and working relationships with partner nations.

 This year's exercise will include Navy and Marine Corps participants from the ROK, the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

 "Boxer is one of the main batteries for this exercise," said Capt. Keith Moore, commander of Amphibious Squadron 1. "It will provide the full capacity of our Air Combat Element, our battalion landing team, and the logistics element. The ships will provide landing craft and amphibious assault vehicles to hit the beach and execute the missions we've trained for during work-ups."

 SY16 will focus on the aggregation of forces for an exercise of Marine Expeditionary Brigade level forcible entry operations. Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7 and the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3D MEB) will aggregate elements of the Boxer ARG, Bonhomme Richard ARG, 13th MEU, 31st MEU and the Maritime Prepositioning Forces (MPF) with ROK Navy and ROK Marine Corps Marine Task Force to practice full-spectrum amphibious operations.

 "Those forces will go ashore in the Republic of Korea and train across all the various areas we've been training [to] in conjunction with the ROK Marines and Navy," said Moore. "It's really going to be a tremendous opportunity for us to flex the full capabilities of the ARG/MEU teams."

 Together, 3D MEB, ESG 7, ROK Marines and ROK Navy will conduct a simulated amphibious assault along beaches in the vicinity of Pohang. They will penetrate notional enemy beach defenses, establish a beach head, and rapidly transition forces and sustainment ashore. This will be a simulated, full-spectrum, combined arms forcible entry operation. SY16 will showcase the capabilities, effectiveness, speed, and flexibility of expeditionary amphibious operations and the U.S. and ROK partnership.

 "The role of the 13th MEU [during SY16] is to conduct amphibious operations that help build a greater partnership with other naval forces in the Korean theatre of operations," said Marine Col. Anthony Henderson, commanding officer, 13th MEU.

"There will be other navies participating as well, and it gives us an opportunity to demonstrate how we conduct full spectrum operations."

 Ultimately, the relationships forged and sustained at exercises such as Ssang Yong contribute to the security and stability on the Korean Peninsula, as well as the entire Asia-Pacific region.

 "Being able to use seas to maneuver, being able to provide presence, being able to ensure some form of stability through our operations is what we train to do and what we're prepared to do and demonstrate in Ssang Yong 2016," said Henderson.

 This exercise proves the Navy and Marine Corps' ability to conduct amphibious landing operations in cooperation with our international partners. SY16 will enhance the interoperability and combined capability of ROK and U.S. Navy and Marine Corps forces.

 "I have absolute confidence," said Moore. "I know that we are ready. We have executed all of the missions that are going to be put against us. We've executed them with precision, skill, gusto and with a warfighting fervor that I know we will take forward when we get tasked."

 Approximately 9,200 Marines, 3,100 U.S. Navy Sailors, 4,500 Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), and 3,000 Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) members will participate in SY16. Approximately 100 Australian Army soldiers and 60 Royal New Zealand Army members will also participate.