Expeditionary Strike Group

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The Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), also known as an Expeditionary Strike Force, is a military concept which was introduced in the U.S. military in the early 1990s and is based on the Naval Expeditionary Task Force. The ESG concept allows the U.S. Navy to field 12 Expeditionary Strike Groups and 12 Carrier Strike Groups, in addition to surface action groups. The ESGs allow the naval fleets of the United States Navy to provide highly movable and self-sustaining forces to effectively undertake missions in various parts of the globe.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Pre-1990 1.2 Early 1990s 2 Expeditionary Strike Groups 3 ESG units 4 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit 5 References 6 External links 7 See also

[edit] History

[edit] Pre-1990

The United States Navy has always been involved in the process of the development of different military concepts which would improve the rapid deployment of naval power and troops from one point to an another. One of these concepts is the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The ARG consists of a group of various ships known as an Amphibious Task Force (ATF) and a Landing Force (LF) which normally consists of United States Marines and on occasion could consist of Army troops.

An ARG is composed of an Amphibious Assault Ship (LHA/LHD), an Amphibious transport dock (LPD) Ship, a Dock Landing Ship (LSD), and a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) which includes a Marine Infantry battalion landing team, AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters and CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters.

The Navy has two to three ARGs deployed at a given time. Normally one of the ARGs can be found in Mediterranean Sea and Persian Gulf/Indian Ocean area, and the other two in the western Pacific Ocean area.^[1]

[edit] Early 1990s

In the early 1990s, the Navy introduced a new concept based on the ARG, the Naval Expeditionary Task Force or as it it also known the Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG). The ESG is similar to the ARG except that with the ESG concept, the Navy would be able to deploy almost double the number of independent operational groups the Navy can deploy, from 19 to 38. In addition, the ESG includes surface warship and submarine escorts, similar to a carrier battle group, (now known as an Carrier Strike Group).

An ESG is composed of an Amphibious assault ship (LHA/LHD), a Dock Landing Ship (LSD), an Amphibious transport dock (LPD), a Marine expeditionary unit, AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters and CH-46D Sea Knight helicopters. Cruisers, destroyers and attack submarines are deployed with either an Expeditionary Strike Group or a Carrier Strike Group.

The ESG concept allows the Navy to field 12 Expeditionary Strike Groups and 12 Carrier Strike Groups, in addition to surface action groups. Thus, the Navy and Marine Corps forces can launch Marines and landing craft as warships and submarines strike inland targets with missiles and shells.^[2]

[edit] Expeditionary Strike Groups

The following is a list of U.S. military ESGs:^[3]

• Tarawa Expeditionary Strike Group
• Nassau Expeditionary Strike Group
• Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group
• Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group
• Essex Expeditionary Strike Group
• Kearsarge Expeditionary Strike Group
• Boxer Expeditionary Strike Group
• Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group
• Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group
• Iwo Jima Expeditionary Strike Group

[edit] ESG units

• USS Essex ESG (ESG-FDNF early 2003). The USS Essex (LHD-2) is the second ship in the all new Wasp class of multipurpose amphibious assault ships and was commissioned on October 17, 1992 in San Diego, California. The mission of the Essex is to conduct prompt, sustained combat operations at sea, as the centerpiece of the Navy's amphibious strategy, from the Sea.^[4]

• USS Peleliu (LHA-5) ESG (August 1, 2003). In September 1997 the USS Peleliu ARG took part in Fleet Battle Experiment - Bravo's "Silent Fury" phase along with the Constellation Battle Group. The Peleliu ARG was deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1997 and participated in Exercise Eager Mace 98.^[5]

• USS Wasp ESG (February 2004). From June to December 1991 she was on deployment to the Mediterranean. From February to August 1993 she took part in Operation Restore Hope and Operation Continue Hope off Somalia. Wasp conducted a Mediterranean deployment from August 1995 to February 1996.^[6]

• USS Belleau Wood ESG (March 2004). USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3) is the third ship of the Tarawa-class Amphibious Assault and Command ships. Her design incorporates the best features and capabilities of several amphibious assault ships currently in service. The ship has a well deck for deploying conventional and air cushioned landing craft and a flight deck for launching a variety of helicopters and Harrier jump jets. The ship was decommissioned on October 28, 2005. It was sunk as part of Rimpac '06 exercises on July 13, 2006.^[7]

[edit] 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit

The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, also known as MEU, is a trained, and equipped mobile force of United States Marines that are deployed from self-contained floating sea bases (naval ships) and attached to to the ESG.

The MEU is composed of four basic elements:

• Command Element - Serves as the headquarters for the entire unit and allows a single command to exercise control over all ground, aviation, and combat service support forces.

• Ground Combat Element - Provides the MEU with its main combat punch. Built around a Marine infantry battalion, the GCE is reinforced with tanks, artillery, amphibious vehicles, engineers, and reconnaissance assets.

• Aviation Combat Element - The ACE consists of a composite medium helicopter squadron containing transport helicopters of various models and capabilities, attack helicopters and jets, air defense teams, and all necessary ground support assets.

• Logistics Combat Element - Providing the MEU with mission-essential support such as medical/dental assistance, motor transport, supply, equipment maintenance, and landing is the mission of the LCE.

The MEU consists of approximately 2,200 Marines and Sailors embarked aboard several amphibious ships.^[8]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Turley, Craig W. (19 May 1997). Naval Expeditionary Task Force Combat Logistics Coordinator in the Year 2010. Joint Military Operations Department, Naval War College. Retrieved on 2007-05-17.

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[edit] See also

• Amphibious Readiness Group
• Amphibious Ready Group