By Lt. Elisabeth Erickson, USS Shoup Public Affairs
USS SHOUP, At Sea (NNS) -- The guided-missile destroyer, USS Shoup (DDG 86) wrapped up participation in joint air and space exercise Amalgam Dart June 23.
Amalgam Dart is part of North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command's (USNORTHCOM) Ardent Sentry '09 exercise series. Shoup played a major role in Amalgam Dart which took place off the coast of Oregon and protected U.S. air sovereignty through airspace surveillance and control.
"Shoup does not often get the opportunity to participate in joint exercises like Amalgam Dart, so this was a valuable experience for my Sailors," said Shoup Commanding Officer Cmdr. Michael Lehman. "Working with the Army liaisons was very productive, and we gained important lessons learned for future exercises and real-world homeland defense scenarios."
Shoup was integrated into the exercise from the Air and Space Operations Center at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., where the Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) commander and his staff directed Air Force and Army assets and coordinated with the Maritime Component Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, in employing Navy assets.
Shoup detected and tracked unknown air contacts with its advanced Aegis weapons system, while the Western Air Defense Sector, based at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., detected, identified, tracked and scrambled fighters to intercept threatening airborne objects.
Simultaneously, the Air Force's 552nd Air Control Wing E-3 Sentry provided all-weather surveillance, command, control and communications needed by air defense forces over secure data and voice networks provided by Rhode Island Air National Guard's (ANG) 282nd and Georgia ANG's 283rd Combat Communications Squadron.
"Being out on the ocean with a Navy ship is a unique experience for an Army officer, and we hope to incorporate the Navy in future homeland defense exercises," said Army Maj. Scott Joslin, who was aboard Shoup for the duration of the exercise,
These coordinated joint efforts ensured the air sovereignty and air defense of the continental United States, which met the goal of the exercise to demonstrate a rapidly deployable air defense system that could protect high profile national targets against cruise missiles and other low-flying threats.
"Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 provides the opportunity to train for potential scenarios that could affect the Continental U.S.," said Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, CONR commander. "Exercises like this allow us to review processes and procedures and focus our future training efforts to identifying areas that may need attention."
"This exercise allowed us to practice our air control and engagement skills in a Real World Environment, so we will be better prepared for operations with the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group," said Chief Warrant Officer Bill Morgan, Shoup's Combat Information Center officer.