U.S. Department of Defense
April 26, 2013
Eagle Resolve Promotes Gulf Region Cooperation, Interoperability
By Donna Miles
WASHINGTON: The field training segment of U.S. Central Command’s three-part Eagle Resolve exercise is slated to kick off this weekend, bringing together participants from 12 nations – most from the Gulf region – to promote cooperative regional defense capabilities, the lead planner reported today.
Hosted by Qatar, the 11th iteration of the annual, multilateral naval, land and air exercise began April 21 with a command post exercise that wrapped up yesterday, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Gerald Lowe, a member of Centcom’s Exercise and Training Directorate, said during a telephone interview from Doha.
Many of the 2,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines participating in Eagle Resolve 13 are arriving at locations throughout Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for the field training exercise that begins April 28 and runs through most of next week, he reported.
Operating with about 1,000 of their counterparts, many from Gulf Cooperative [Cooperation] Council member nations, exercise participants will tackle scenarios that cross the land, air and maritime domains. The exercise’s scenarios range from hostage situations to naval and theater ballistic missile attacks to toxic chemical spills, Lowe said.
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The exercise supports several key focus areas: integrated air and missile defense, consequence management, critical infrastructure protection, counterterrorism, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear-passive defense, and interdiction and border security, he said.
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Senior leaders will come together to review lessons learned during the command post and field training portions of the exercise, and to discuss ways to further enhance their cooperation, Lowe said.
Eagle Resolve has evolved significantly since it began in 1999 as a seminar among Gulf Cooperation Council nations, Lowe said. It remains Centcom’s premier exercise with its Gulf partner nations, he said, with participants continuing to enhance their own capabilities while gaining better understanding of each other’s ways of operating.
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While promoting the spirit of collaboration between U.S. Central Command and the Gulf Cooperative Council nations, Eagle Resolve underscores U.S. commitment to the region, Lowe said.
“The focus is on demonstrating our continued dedication to the region and our regional partners,” he said…
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U.S. Department of Defense
April 26, 2013
Hagel, Crown Prince Discuss U.S.-U.A.E. Defense Cooperation
By Cheryl Pellerin
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“The additional F-16s will increase both nations’ interoperability and enhance their ability to perform joint and coalition security operations,” Little added.
Hagel expressed appreciation for United Arab Emirates’ contributions to NATO missions in Afghanistan and Libya.
They also discussed a range of regional challenges, he said, including the need for Iran to meet its international obligations with respect to its nuclear program, the ongoing conflict in Syria…
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ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s first trip to the Middle East included a visit and official dinner with Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the United Arab Emirates armed forces.
The two men met last night and reaffirmed the strong U.S. commitment to defense and security cooperation between their countries, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today in a statement.
In particular, he said, they discussed the United Arab Emirates’ purchase of 25 F-16 Block 60 aircraft and the U.S. decision to release standoff weapons for sale to defend the United Arab Emirates. The smart standoff weapons can navigate to their targets and are more precise and can be fired at further distances than conventional weapons.
“The additional F-16s will increase both nations’ interoperability and enhance their ability to perform joint and coalition security operations,” Little added.
Hagel expressed appreciation for United Arab Emirates’ contributions to NATO missions in Afghanistan and Libya.
“The secretary and the crown prince concurred on the need to build on the already robust defense ties, which include bilateral exercises and training, to expand cooperation in such areas as ballistic missile defense,” Little said.
The United States and the United Arab Emirates agreed to hold regular bilateral defense consultations to further coordinate expanding military activities, the press secretary said.
They also discussed a range of regional challenges, he said, including the need for Iran to meet its international obligations with respect to its nuclear program, the ongoing conflict in Syria, and countering the threat of violent extremism.
Hagel’s trip to the Middle East, which began April 20 and ends later today, also took the secretary to Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt to discuss common issues and interests in the region.
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