USNS 1ST LT Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011) wrapped up active support for exercise Dawn Blitz 2013 off the coast of San Diego June 20.

The ship operated as a training platform for the Marine Combat Logistics Regiment-17, 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and U.S. Navy Sailors with Naval Beach Group 1, Expeditionary Strike Group 3.

Lummus, anchored offshore, gave Dawn Blitz participants the ability to test and train with the improved Navy Lighterage System, which enables transportation of equipment and vehicles from ship to shore.

Over seven days, Sailors and Marines transported rolling stock equipment, and shipping containers, staging it on Lummus and then off-loading the equipment for transportation to shore. The training is designed to simulate operations that would take place during real-world scenarios such as humanitarian assistance and combat missions.

“Beach Group One has always enjoyed a close working relationship with Military Sealift Command (MSC),” said Cmdr. Ray Franklin, MSC Pacific operations officer. “Being able to use Lummus as a training platform during this exercise is a great way for us to continue to foster that relationship and to continue to provide a variety of support to our Navy and Marine Corps forces. Present requirements and future necessity to project power ashore will mean more exercises like Dawn Blitz and more opportunities for MSC to provide our special brand of support.”

USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187) is also providing logistics support at sea to the U.S. Navy foreign navy ships participating in the Dawn Blitz exercise through underway replenishments.

Dawn Blitz 2013 includes seven ships just off the coast and simulates an air and ground task force assaulting an enemy beach or delivering large numbers of troops along with food and supplies from ship to shore in a disaster relief operation. The exercise is the last event in a series of training designed to test the Navy and Marine Corps’ abilities in the planning and execution of complex amphibious operations from ship-to-shore.

Featured training includes more than 5,000 U.S. Marines, Sailors and coalition forces from Canada, Japan and New Zealand; as well as military observers from seven countries watching the exercise, including large-scale amphibious assaults, sea-basing operations, mine warfare operations, live-fire opportunities, and Maritime Prepositioning of Forces. The exercise also includes battle-space shaping operations, force-on-force training, special operations forces, operational planning, live-fire opportunities, infantry immersion training, shipboard driver qualification, MV-22 Osprey take-offs and landings aboard a Japanese ship and the largest multilateral amphibious landing on Camp Pendleton’s Red Beach, scheduled for June 24.

MSC operates approximately 110 non-combatant, merchant mariner-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world, and move military cargo and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.

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Exercise Sea Lion 2013 has entered a critical phase with the go ahead being given for the Amphibious Task Force to rehearse evacuation of Australian citizens and foreign nationals from the troubled Tropicana Enclave.

For the sake of the exercise, the country of “Tropicana”, located on the northern coast of Queensland, is experiencing extreme civil unrest with criminal groups in the Tropicana Enclave running amok and intimidating the local population.

The Government of Tropicana has requested assistance from the Australian Government, which deployed an Amphibious Task Group to the area, operating from HMAS Choules.

In order to conduct a safe evacuation, a number of objectives must first be achieved. This includes identifying appropriate evacuation centres and working with exercise Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff to coordinate the process.

It also means a number of soldiers from 2RAR (who form the bulk of the task force) are required to be inserted into the area of operation to ensure the evacuation process runs smoothly and as it should.

Once all Australian and approved foreign nationals are evacuated, the exercise will kick into its next phase.

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Press Release, June 21, 2013; Image: Australian Navy