ROYAL AUSTALIAN AIR FORCE BASE TINDAL, Australia -- American forces arrived here July 13, 2012, to kick off Exercise Southern Frontier 2012, and then take part in the multilateral Exercise Pitch Black 2012.
Both exercises are conducted annually to enhance flight operations and maintain proficiency as well as maintain interoperability between allies and partner nations.
“I think being able to train with all the different countries is fantastic,” said Lt. Col. Travis S. Kelley, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 commanding officer. “Especially working with the Australians. They’re a lot like Marines when it comes to their mentality and the way they do business. It’s a great opportunity for us to get to work with them. It’s in both our best interest and the Aussies' to better that relationship because they’re such a strong ally in the region.”
During the exercises, elements of Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, III MEF Headquarters Group, III MEF, will conduct solo and multilateral training to maintain readiness.
Iwakuni-based Marine Aircraft Group 12 Headquarters, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232, Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 service members will also participate in this exercise.
Okinawa-based service members with Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 and 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company are also slated to participate in the exercises.
The exercises will consist of field training events to include call-for-fire and flight operations. Exercises will focus on close-air support, air interdiction, offensive anti-air warfare, and suppression of enemy air defenses.
Southern Frontier is an annual, unilateral training exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force. This exercise allows MAG-12 F/A-18 squadrons the opportunity to focus on offensive air-support training in order to improve squadron readiness. This year, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 will be the focus of Southern Frontier.
“My expectations for Southern Frontier are to generate some flight-leadership qualifications,” said Kelley. “It’s my goal as VMFA -232 squadron to generate those codes. These are hard-toget training requirements and if we don’t get them here, it’s going to be very difficult to get them back in the rear.”
PB12 is intended as a means for participant militaries to practice large-scale offensive counterair and offensive-air support missions in large, multinational formations. By conducting these activities, SF12 and PB12 help to enhance readiness, increase interoperability of forces, and strengthen regional partnerships to effectively respond to regional challenges.
Pitch Black is designed to facilitate large-force training and coalition interoperability out of Royal Australian Air Force Base, Darwin. Countries slated to participate in the exercise with American forces include: The Australian Defense Force, Royal Thai Armed Forces, Singapore Armed Forces, New Zealand Defense Force, Malaysian Armed Forces, French Armed Forces, British Armed Forces, Indonesian National Armed Forces and a component operating through NATO .
“By working with our multinational partners, we’re supporting our country’s goals and continuing military engagement that’s part of our mission,” said Maj. Dustin J. Byrum, VMFA -232 operations officer. “The ranges in Australia also provide us with really good training opportunities. They create a great opportunity to employ all of our capabilities and demonstrate what the MAGTF [Marine Air Ground Task Force] can do.”
More than 280 Japan-based servicemembers are scheduled to participate in the two exercises. Marines will employ the use of F/A-18s and KC-130J aircraft. During the two exercises, Marines will produce approximately 350 sorties and drop 85,000 pounds of ordnance.
Southern Frontier 2012 and Pitch Black 2012 will take place between mid-July and mid- August.