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NAHA, Japan
– A week after arriving in Okinawa, Japan Nov. 23 to start their
six-month deployment in the 7th Fleet area of responsibility, the
Skinny Dragons of Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 took part in the bilateral
exercise Keen Sword 2011 Dec. 3 – 10.
VP 4 relieved VP 47 and throughout Keen Sword VP 4 alongside VP 8,
VP 46 and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Patrol
Squadron (VP) 5 aircrews exercised, evaluated and worked
side-by-side to strengthen interactions amongst one another.
The Pegasus’s of VP 5 stationed out of Naha in the Okinawa
Prefecture of Japan few aboard aircraft assigned to VP 4 to observe
crew coordination and tactics utilized by the Navy. The cross
training was conducted to improve both U.S. and Japanese
understanding of our mutual capabilities and limitations.
“The exercise was a great way for our squadron to launch into
deployment and we are excited about our continuing friendship with
the JMSDF, and VP 5 in particular, during the months to come,” said
Cmdr. Steve Newlund, VP 4’s commanding officer.
To close the exercise the aircrews of VP 4 and VP 5 took part in the
photography exercise, a Navy and a JMSDF
P-3C
Orion
flew together in
formation over JMSDF and Navy ships lead by the aircraft carrier,
USS George Washington (CVN 73).
The biennial Keen Sword brought together 34,000 Japanese troops and
10,000 U.S. service members, plus a combined 430 aircraft and 60
ships for missile-defense and other air, land and sea operations, as
service members will practice responding to a wide range of
situations, including the defense of the region and reacting to a
simulated contingency situation affecting Japan, within a realistic
training environment. |
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