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Kearsarge Starts ESG Exercise

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050113-10
Release Date: 1/13/2005 2:44:00 PM

By Journalist 2nd Class (SW) Robert Keilman, USS Kearsarge Public Affairs

ABOARD USS KEARSARGE, At Sea (NNS) -- The amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) and the ships of the Kearsarge Strike Group, along with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), got under way Jan. 10 for their Expeditionary Strike Group Exercise (ESGEX).

The ESGEX is designed to forge these commands into a cohesive fighting team during a series of complex and coordinated training events. This is one of the final exercises the Kearsarge Strike Group needs to complete before the group's scheduled deployment later this year.

"The ESGEX is unique among some other exercises because it has no schedule of simulated events," said Cmdr. Neil Parrott, Kearsarge's executive officer. "Our plans of action will change depending on the hostile forces' actions. We may steam into harm's way or we'll steer away to avoid it."

The Kearsarge Strike Group is composed of Kearsarge, the amphibious transport dock USS Ponce (LPD 15), the dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48), the cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), the guided-missile destroyer USS Gonzalez (DDG 66), the frigate USS Kauffman (FFG 59), and the fast-attack submarine USS Scranton (SSN 756). The guided-missile frigate USS Hawes (FFG 53) joined the Kearsarge Strike Group to participate in ESGEX, but is not normally attached to the group.

The 26 MEU is composed of Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron - 162 (Reinforced) and MEU Service Support Group 26.

Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet and Commander, Amphibious Group 2 are overseeing the ESGEX to evaluate the performance and readiness of the Kearsarge Strike Group and 26 MEU staffs, as well as to ensure that each command of the expeditionary strike group can work effectively with each other while reacting to an ever-changing threat.

The Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) concept is centered on the proven flexibility and combat power of a combined Amphibious Readiness Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ESG adds the robust strike, anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-subsurface capabilities of a cruiser, a destroyer, a frigate and an attack submarine to a conventional amphibious ready group. These combined capabilities give the combatant commander a wider variety of options and enables sustained independent operations in more dynamic environments.