U.S. Navy kicks off Large-Scale Exercise 2021

U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe commenced Large-Scale Exercise 2021 in the USFF, PACFLT, and NAVEUR areas of responsibility, the U.S. Navy 6th Fleet announced on 3rd August.

Large-Scale Exercise 2021 is an alive, virtual, constructive, globally integrated exercise supervised by the Chief of Naval Operations and spanning numerous fleets. Large-Scale Exercise 2021 will improve how we coordinate maritime operations across numerous fleets to support the unified force. The exercises are focused on a series of fleet battle challenges and scenarios that will be used to evaluate and enhance modern warfare concepts such as distributed maritime operations, expeditionary advanced base operations, and littoral operations in a contested environment.

“We have shifted focus from the individual Carrier Strike Group to a larger fleet-centric approach, challenging fleet commanders’ abilities to make decisions at a speed and accuracy that outpaces the adversaries,” said Adm. Christopher W. Grady, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “Large-Scale Exercise is more than just training; it is leveraging the integrated fighting power of multiple naval forces to share sensors, weapons, and platforms across all domains in contested environments, globally.”

Evaluating and improving naval integration and the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps’ ability to integrate all domains in a high-end global conflict is a necessary investment in the current and future readiness of our forces.

“Large-Scale Exercise 2021 provides our Navy-Marine Corps team with the opportunity to plan, direct and establish full spectrum naval operations. We must build naval readiness and advance the art and science of naval warfare to be ready to fight tonight – the stakes could not be higher,” said Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “The international rules-based order is essential to our nation, and our partners and allies for peace, security and stability.”

Included in the exercise will be evaluations of experimental technology from a variety of warfare areas including unmanned technologies.

“Large-Scale Exercise will test our commanders’ abilities to deliver coordinated effects, from all directions, any time or all the time. It will help us build the necessary muscle memory to do this routinely at the operational to strategic levels of war,” said Adm. Robert P. Burke, commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe. “By exercising the full weight of our operational fleets, working together in a global mindset, we will truly harness the inherent flexibility of naval forces in controlling the sea and projecting power.”

UK Carrier Strike Group participating in the exercise as well.

About Large Scale Exercise:

Large-Scale Exercise 2021 is part of an ongoing series of exercises that demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s ability to employ precise, lethal, and overwhelming force globally across three naval component commands, five numbered fleets and 17 time zones.

It is a triennial exercise conducted by U.S. Fleet Forces Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and U.S. Naval Forces Europe that is designed to refine how we synchronize maritime operations across multiple Fleets, in support of the joint force.

The training is based on a progression of scenarios that will assess and refine modern warfare concepts, including Distributed Maritime Operations, Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, and Littoral Operations in a Contested Environment. LSE 2021 is the first iteration of what will become a triennial exercise with plans for future iterations to include partners and allies from around the world.

Check out Naval Library App to learn more about the specifications of the U.S. Navy assets.