IKE Carrier Strike Group Conducts Missile Exercise

In this still capture from video, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Nitze (DDG 94), USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Mason (DDG 87), along with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG 56) and USS Monterey (CG 61) launch Standard Missiles 2 (SM-2) at twice the speed of sound to destroy an advanced high-speed target during a live fire test of the ships' Aegis weapons systems. The live-fire event was conducted during the Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), the final certification event prior to deployment. (U.S. Navy video/Released)

By Lt.j.g. Christian Asaban, USS San Jacinto (CG-56)

ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group (IKECSG) completed a multi-ship, live-fire exercise with the Standard Missile (SM-2), March 15.

 

 The dynamic exercise was part of the strike group's final preparation for the composition training unit exercise (COMPTUEX) that certifies all strike groups prior to deployment.

 

 The exercise, led by the carrier strike group's Air and Missile Defense Commander and San Jacinto Commanding Officer, Capt. Dennis Velez, also served to demonstrate the Navy's continued efforts to train for today's warfighting environment.

 

 "We have always worked to evolve our training, including live firing exercises against high speed targets during and shortly after the Cold War," said Velez. "And here we are once again adapting and demonstrating our tactical proficiency. With this shoot specifically, we're seeing our Sailors operate their weapons systems successfully against advanced threats in contested battlespace environments."

 

 The six combatants--USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Monterey (CG 61), USS Mason (DDG 87), USS Roosevelt (DDG 81), USS Stout (DDG 55) and USS Nitze (DDG 94)--practiced a number of advanced tactical techniques and procedures including cooperative tracking before firing Standard Missiles (SM-2) at the inbound targets. All six ships scored kills as measured by the missile and target instrumentation, including two direct hits. This demonstrates a successful ramp-up in an era of continued complexity and tactical relevance in the employment of the Aegis weapons system against high-end threats.

 

 SM-2 is an integral part of the layered defense that protects the world's naval assets and gives warfighters a greater reach in the battlespace. SM-2 variants have successfully intercepted targets, proving their lethality against subsonic, supersonic, low- and high-altitude, high-maneuvering, diving, sea-skimming, anti-ship cruise missiles fighters, bombers and helicopters in an advanced electronic countermeasures environment.

 

 IKECSG is comprised of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Carrier Air Wing 3, USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Monterey (CG 61) and the ships of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26--USS Stout (DDG 55), USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Nitze (DDG 94).

 

USS Philippine Sea Completes MISSILX

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Brian Read Castillo, USS George H.W. Bush Public Affairs

USS Philippine Sea, At Sea (NNS) -- The guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) completed a missile exercise (MISSILX), Aug. 4.

Philippine Sea, and USS Truxtun (DDG 103) simultaneously launched Navy Standard Missile-2's (SM-2) while USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) launched shortly afterwards.

The MISSILEX required that all three ships fire SM-2's at a remote controlled, subsonic missile drone, or (BQM). The SM-2 is the U.S Navy's primary surface-to-air air defense weapon and a vital element of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) aboard Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, launched from the MK 41 Vertical Launcher System (VLS).

During the exercise a BQM was flown out to sea by an aircraft and dropped into mid air. The drone is then reverted back towards the ships requiring them to shoot it out of the sky, said Senior Chief Fire Controlman Jeremy R. Rasnick, combat systems fire controlman leading chief petty officer.

"After it was dropped, shore command flew the BQM inbound," said Rasnick. "Once inbound our mission is to get good telemetry data back to shore command so they can evaluate how the missile and its systems preformed."

The missiles fired were not armed with warheads. Instead, each missile attempts to approach the BQM as close as possible simulating an actual intercept.

Each SM-2 has proximity sensors capable of recording the distance from the BQM as it flies by indicating a "hit", said Rasnick.

"The missiles try to get as close as they can to the drone and instead of it exploding it just continues to fly by," said Rasnick. "Once recovered they can figure out whose missiles were within the blast radius.

The MISSILX simulates a cruise missile attack scenario that could be encountered by the George H.W. Bush Strike Group (GHWB CSG) on deployment.

"This missile is specifically designed to simulate a C-802 missile which is an anti-ship cruise missile", said Rasnick.

After two days of "mock" drills involving Learjet fly-by's simulating a BQM, the Philippine Sea was ready to conduct the MISSILX and learn from the experience of an actual launch.

"The rehearsals were very beneficial and went very well," said Master Chief Fire Controlman Craig M. Cotherman, combat systems maintenance manger. "But a couple things were a little bit different today, things we can't rehearse and simulate, things we can't prepare for."

Cotherman feels the MISSILX provided an invaluable experience.

"We definitely have some lessons to take away from the experience," said Cotherman. "Aside from actually having to fire on a target, this is as real as it gets."

The last missile launch aboard the Philippine Sea took place in 2010 making this not just a learning experience, but also a rare and exciting event for the crew.

I was standing in the bridge when it happened," said Quartermaster 3rd Class Cameron A.Wheylan. "It was cool to see what we can actually do and feel the power of it all. It's definitely something I will never forget."

Philippine Sea is participating in the George H.W. Bush Group Sail to improve strike group interoperability and prepare for an upcoming deployment.

Navy Completes Air and Ballistic Missile Exercise

The San Diego-based guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold (DDG 65) fires a missile Thursday, March 26, 2009 during training exercise Stellar Daggers in the Pacific Ocean. Benfold engaged multiple targets with Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA and modified SM-2 BLK IV missiles. The overall objective of Stellar Daggers was to test the Aegis system's sea-based ability to simultaneously detect, track, engage and destroy multiple incoming air and ballistic missile threats during terminal or final phase of flight. The Benfold's Aegis Weapons System successfully detected and intercepted a cruise missile target with a SM-2 BLK IIIA, while simultaneously detecting and intercepting an incoming SRBM target with a modified SM-2 BLK IV. This is the first time the fleet has successfully tested the Aegis system's ability to intercept both an SRBM in terminal phase and a low-altitude cruise missile target at the same time. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear announced the completion of the fleet operational exercise, Stellar Daggers, March 26.

The scheduled event took place March 24 and 26. Command and control of the participants in Stellar Daggers resided with U.S. 3rd Fleet based in San Diego.

San Diego-based Aegis destroyer, USS Benfold (DDG 65) engaged multiple targets during this multi-event exercise with Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA and modified SM-2 BLK IV missiles. The overall objective of Stellar Daggers was to test the Aegis system's sea-based ability to simultaneously detect, track, engage and destroy multiple incoming air and ballistic missile threats during terminal or final phase of flight.

During the event, Benfold's Aegis Weapons System successfully detected and intercepted a cruise missile target with a SM-2 BLK IIIA, while simultaneously detecting and intercepting an incoming short range ballistic missile (SRBM) target with a modified SM-2 BLK IV. This is the first time the fleet has successfully tested the Aegis system's ability to intercept both an SRBM in terminal phase and a low-altitude cruise missile target at the same time.

Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD), which includes Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD), is a Navy core competency and a key warfighting capability for the U.S. maritime strategy, which calls for credible combat power to be continuously postured to protect America's vital interests.