Expeditionary Strike Group

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.

History

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 another.Fact|date=July 2008 One of these concepts is the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG). The ARG consisted 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 United States 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-53 Sea Stallion, CH-46 Sea Knight, AH-1 Sea Cobra and UH-1 Huey helicopters.

The Navy had 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.cite web|accessdate=2007-05-16
url=http://www.dod.mil/execsec/adr95/maritm.html
title=Maritime Forces
title=1995 Annual Defense Report
publisher=U.S. Department of Defense]

Early 1990s - Present

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, from 19 to 38. In addition, the ESG includes surface warships 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.

As originally envisoned in the 1990s, the ESG concept allowed the Navy to field 12 Expeditionary Strike Groups and 12 Carrier Strike Groups, in addition to surface action groups centered around "Iowa" class battleships. Thus, the Navy and Marine Corps forces could launch Marines via landing craft and helicopters as warships and submarines struck inland targets with aircraft, missiles and shells. However, defense budget reductions in the mid-1990s, coupled with retirements of older aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships without one-for-one replacements, has reduced the original 12 x 12 ESG/CSG construct to fewer groups due to fewer ship hulls to support said those groups. cite web|accessdate=2007-05-16 |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/esg.htm
title=Expeditionary Strike Group
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]

Expeditionary Strike Groups

The following is a list of U.S. military ESGs:cite web |accessdate=2007-05-16
url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/esg-deployments.htm
title=Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESG) - Deployments
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]
*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

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.cite web|accessdate=2007-05-26
url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lhd-2.htm
title=Essex Expeditionary Strike Group
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]

*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. cite web |accessdate=2007-05-16
url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lha-5.htm
title=Peleliu Expeditionary Strike Group
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]

*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.cite web|accessdate=2007-05-16
url= http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lhd-1.htm
title=Wasp Expeditionary Strike Group
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]

*USS "Belleau Wood" ESG (March 2004). USS "Belleau Wood" (LHA-3) was the third ship of the "Tarawa"-class Amphibious Assault and Command ships. Her design incorporated the best features and capabilities of several amphibious assault ships currently in service. The ship had a well deck for deploying conventional and air cushioned landing craft and a flight deck for launching a variety of helicopters and Harrier jet aircraft. "Belleau Wood" was decommissioned on October 28, 2005 and was sunk as part of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 06 exercises on July 13, 2006.cite web|accessdate=2007-05-16
url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/navy/lha-3.htm
title=Belleau Wood Expeditionary Strike Group
publisher=GlobalSecurity.org]

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 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.cite web|accessdate=2007-05-16
url=http://www.usmc.mil/22ndmeu/index.htm
title=22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit website
publisher=United State Marine Corps]

References

External links

*cite web|accessdate=2007-05-17
url=http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA328250
title=Naval Expeditionary Task Force Combat Logistics Coordinator in the Year 2010
author=Turley, Craig W.
date=19 May 1997
publisher=Joint Military Operations Department, Naval War College
location=Newport, RI