Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Stevie Tate USS Arlington (LPD 24) Public Affairs
ATLANTIC OCEAN, USS Arlington – The amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) departed Naval Station Norfolk to begin Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX), July 15, as part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSGARG).
Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class Matthew Kolb signals a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter as it lands on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Stevie Tate/Released)
COMPTUEX is the final in a series of training exercises designed to certify the ARG deployment-ready by testing its ability to react to training scenarios and perform as an integrated unit. Commander, Carrier Strike Group 4 (CSG-4) will evaluate KSGARG’s performance during simulated air, surface and sub-surface threats, as well as ship movements, such as transiting a strait in hostile waters.
COMPTUEX is the third integrated training for the ARG and Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). The other trainings include Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON)-MEU Integrated Training (PMINT) and ARGMEU Exercise.
“What Arlington began with PMINT and continued with the ARG/MEU Exercise will be finished at the end of COMPTUEX, at which point Arlington will be certified as ready to deploy,” said Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Emily Bassett. “During this assessment, CGS-4 will evaluate our ability to perform various mission sets, including everything from counter-piracy to maritime interdiction operations and strike warfare.”
Throughout COMPTUEX, CSG-4 uses synthetic geopolitical scenarios to replicate real-world circumstances that ships could encounter during deployment.
“We immerse ourselves in this scenario the moment we get underway,” said Commanding Officer Capt. Sean Bailey. “This scenario acts as a representation of what we might encounter during our deployment, such as failed states, acts of piracy and counter-terrorism operations. We are expecting challenging missions that will test Arlington and the rest of the ARG’s ability to respond to different scenarios, ranging from non-combatant evacuation operations to counter-piracy. Finishing this assessment will essentially be the ARG’s graduation ceremony from the certification phase and show that we are ready for the upcoming deployment.”
KSGARG is composed of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4 staff, the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), Arlington (LPD 24), the amphibious dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) and the 26th MEU.
