SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, Calif. -- Marines with 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company and soldiers with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force conducted a combined arms shoot with naval gunfire, attack rotary aircraft and
120mm mortars during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 on San Clemente Island, Sept.
1.
The purpose of the combined arms shoot was to strengthen the U.S. and
its ally’s skill set.
“There is an art and science of integration of
combined arms and particularly as it’s concerned with our allies,” said Capt.
Kevin Fernandez, supporting arms liaison team leader with ANGLICO.
One
American destroyer and one Japanese destroyer shot five-inch naval gunfire on
San Clemente Island. The naval ships were shooting targets and marking targets
for the Marines and the JGSDF as well as marking targets for the rotary
aircraft.
Coalition participation has been incorporated to provide
realistic training that leverages capabilities provided by each participant and
strengthens relationships necessary to jointly respond to crises and protect
collective maritime interests.
While Japanese procedures are slightly
different than the Marines’, ANGLICO Marines were able to improve their
interoperability with the JGSDF during the live-fire shoot.
“I
am very happy to learn the team leader job flow as well as learning how the
Marine Corps conducts these types of missions,” said 2nd Lt. Tatsuta, Shinichi,
a team leader with the JGSDF. “I will take the skills I have learned here at Dawn Blitz
and take them to my country, so I can share them with my subordinates and
improve myself.”
“It’s great working with the Japanese,” Fernandez said.
“They are very confident fire supporters, very confident in mortars and very
confident in naval guns. I am pretty proud to see our guys develop and progress
in their skill sets.”