Courtesy Photo | USNS YUMA (T-EPF 8) moors pierside Durres, Albania to assist JLOTS-21 in intra-theater...... read more read more
With the beginning of exercise DEFENDER-Europe 21, the United States and 26 partner nations demonstrated their mobilization and logistics capabilities through sealift during the last week of April and first week of May 2021.
The Navy’s most prominent contribution, the USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR 300), a purpose-built surge sealift large medium speed roll-on, roll-off ship (LMSR), sailed out of the Pacific northwest before loading in the Port of Jacksonville, Fla., and Portsmouth, Va., on its way across the Atlantic to the Adriatic Sea in Durres, Albania. Bob Hope’s cargo included over 700 pieces of Army light infantry brigade equipment including Humvees, trucks, and light artillery.
Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby explained the purpose of DEFENDER-Europe 21 during a May 3 press conference,“(DEFENDER-Europe 21) is defensive in nature, focused on deterring aggression, while preparing our forces to respond to crisis and conduct large-scale combat operations if necessary while helping us build interoperability.”
At the DEFENDER-Europe 21 Opening Ceremony and Distinguished Visitors Day in Durres on May 4, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters, head of U.S. European Command and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, stated, “NATO’s hope is this: that after today’s demonstration and after this exercise, each and every one of us are a little bit more responsive, a little bit more resilient, and a little bit more lethal, and I’m convinced that we will accomplish this task.”
The general thanked Albania as host, proclaiming, “This nation is an exporter of security. (Albania’s) accession into NATO in 2009 has provided a more secure Albania, a more secure southern hub, a more secure Balkans, a more secure Mediterranean, and a more secure Atlantic.”
This point was further emphasized by U.S. Ambassador to Albania, Yuri Kim, who said in her speech, “As an Alliance member Albania offers an important foothold that can enable NATO and the United States to respond to regional contingencies and crises quickly and effectively.”
Military sealift, as conducted by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC), controls the replenishment of warships and transport of military cargo overseas. Without this logistical support, the military would not have the supplies needed to conduct virtually any mission taking place across the globe.
One of the fundamental types of sealift operations is Joint Logistics Over-The-Shore (JLOTS) which allows sealift ships to discharge through inadequate or damaged ports, or through bare beaches, as demonstrated in part during the opening of DEFENDER-Europe 21.
Commander Nick Kozma explains, “Unlike normal pier-side cargo operations, JLOTS adds a multitude of additional stakeholders and sealift assets to the mix, making initial battlespace preps and early communications with all players that much more important.”
Commander Kozma serves as Commanding Officer of MSC Expeditionary Port Unit 104, one of four reserve component units that support the Europe and Africa MSC Area Commodore, Capt. Frank Okata.
JLOTS is an operation that requires tedious logistical coordination, not just within the Navy, but across services, and as seen in DEFENDER-Europe 21, across multiple nations’ militaries.
Commodore Okata, stressed the importance of continuous practice and simulation to ensure that servicemembers are prepared in the case of a crisis or conflict.
“The Navy and our joint partners possess tremendous combat capability in the EUCOM and AFRICOM theaters,” Okata explained. “This potential, however, stagnates if it cannot be massed in times of conflict. In order to prevail in an environment of great power competition, our joint force must be able to transport materiel and access contested environments. That’s where MSC area commands, and our subordinate EPUs, play a critical role.”
EPUs refer to expeditionary port units that specialize in transporting cargo from sea onto contested shores. They are vital in solidifying and maintaining shore presence during operations and allowing cargo to be continuously supplied.
To that end, Cmdr. Cameron Rountree, commanding officer of MSC Expeditionary Port Unit 106, the other reserve component of MSCEURAF participating in DEFENDER-Europe 21 JLOTS stated, “We are primed to support our gaining command and train to our mobilization billet tasking. If the balloon goes up in a time of crisis, it’s imperative that all members, including my teammates in EPU 106, are trained to the demands of our billet. That’s why we’re here. This is what we do and what we will do when called upon.”
“Without MSC bringing the tools of war to the fleet and our sister services, the U.S. military would be a paper tiger,” Okata said. “MSC is more important than ever in bridging the gap between requirement and capability.”
| Date Taken: | 05.14.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2021 10:33 |
| Story ID: | 396422 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 406 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
This work, Military Sealift Command in Europe Enables DEFENDER-Europe 21, by PO3 Glenn Field, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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