The US, UK and France have kicked off Exercise Alligator Dagger 17.
The two-week multilateral amphibious exercise is taking place in international waters off the coast of Djibouti and in the vicinity of Djibouti and Arta Beach, April 5 – April 20.
Participating forces include the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, the command ship for Amphibious Squadron 8, USS Carter Hall, HMS Monmouth, USS Ponce and a detachment of the French 5th Marine Regiment.
Exercise Alligator Dagger 17, led by US Naval Amphibious Forces, Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, is a multilateral amphibious exercise with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit as part of the sustainment training for ARG/MEUs in the US 5th Fleet area of operations.
According to a press release:
“Participants will conduct fire team, squad and platoon level live-fire ranges, vessel board search and seizure (VBSS), integrated amphibious operations, day and night time full mission profiles/long range raid and coalition integration or forces.
The exercise also provides a unique opportunity to enhance multilateral capabilities in critical mission-sets inherent to the US Navy-Marine Corps team with partners and allies in the region.”
US Navy Capt. James Dunn, Deputy Commodore of Amphibious Squadron 8 said:
“We are excited to be participating in this dynamic exercise alongside our allies and partners.
Exercises like Alligator Dagger enhance the execution of our wide range of capability, while increasing the ability of all participants to plan and oversee complex operations.”
Exercise Alligator Dagger 17 is one of several training opportunities to be undertaken by US Marines and Sailors during their deployment in the region.
What will the uk’s commitment be ? 3 sailors rowing a boat loaded up with our amphibious ready group of 4-6 royal marines.
I jest but at current rates of defence cuts and capability gaps we are heading for that level of capability.
Multilateral? Who invented that word to describe what I’d call a multinational exercise? (Obviously somebody getting paid much more than me to reshape the English language.)