Aug. 16, 2023

8 EAMS innovates, provides joint airlift across COCOMs

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar — The 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, conquered a logistical challenge by building relationships with U.S. Navy counterparts.

Aug. 15, 2023

Virginia Guard Conducts Mountain Warfare Exchange in Tajikistan

ROMIT, Tajikistan - Five Virginia National Guard Soldiers conducted a mountain warfare exchange with soldiers from the Republic of Tajikistan July 24-29. The five-day exchange in Romit supported the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, in which Virginia and Tajikistan have been partners since 2003.

Aug. 14, 2023

CENTCOM’s Regional Cooperation 23 underway in Montana

HELENA, Mont. — Exercise Regional Cooperation 23, an annual U.S. Central Command-sponsored exercise, is underway in Helena, Montana. The exercise, this year hosted by the Montana National Guard at the Helena Aviation Readiness Center, kicked off Aug. 8, 2023, and brings together military personnel from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as U.S. personnel from across the nation, including Soldiers and Airmen from the Arizona, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana and Virginia National Guard.

Aug. 7, 2023

Army accepts prototypes of the most advanced version of IVAS

FORT BELVOIR, Va. — Last week, the Army accepted delivery of the first 20 prototypes of the Integrated Visual Augmentation System 1.2 variant. The milestone is the latest step in the process of getting the most advanced version of the situational awareness system in the hands of Soldiers. Microsoft delivered the 20 prototypes to Project Manager Soldier Warrior, the program office within Program Executive Office Soldier responsible for overseeing the development of IVAS.

Aug. 7, 2023

3,000 Sailors and Marines Arrive in Middle East aboard USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall

MANAMA, Bahrain — More than 3,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Middle East, Aug. 6, as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment.

July 30, 2023

U.S. and Israel Kick Off Naval Exercise in Haifa

MANAMA, Bahrain — U.S. 5th Fleet and the Israeli Navy held an opening ceremony July 30 in Haifa, Israel to kick off an annual maritime security exercise.

July 27, 2023

Multinational Task Force Completes Exercise in P-8 Flight over Arabian Gulf

MANAMA, Bahrain — A multinational naval coalition that monitors and patrols key waterways in the Middle East completed a naval exercise over the Arabian Gulf, July 26, with representatives from Bahrain, the United Kingdom and the United States.

July 26, 2023

Squadron of F-35 Lightning IIs arrive in U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — As part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment, a squadron of U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs has arrived in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. While deployed in support of Air Forces Central missions, the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from Hill AFB, Utah will help defend interests, promote regional security and safeguard freedom of navigation in the region. In coordination with our regional allies, partners and the U.S. Navy, the F-35’s will partner with A-10 and F-16s already in theater helping monitor the Strait of Hormuz. The F-35’s increased capacity and capability will allow the U.S. to fly in contested airspace across the theater if required. This deployment demonstrates the U.S.’s commitment to ensure peace and security in the region, through maritime support and support to the coalition’s enduring mission to defeat ISIS in Syria. Due to operational security and host nation requests, we cannot discuss the length of the deployment or specific locations.

July 25, 2023

USARCENT’s 1st TSC Demonstrates Autonomous Vehicles in Kuwait

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT – The 1st Theater Sustainment Command, a subordinate command of U.S. Army Central, demonstrated three autonomous vehicles at the Udairi Range Complex near Camp Buehring, Kuwait, on 25 July, 2023. This is the first time these ground-breaking systems were publicly displayed in the U.S. Central Command region. The vehicles, three Palletized Loading Systems or “PLS”, are intended to decrease risk during combat operations by reducing the manpower required by traditional, non-autonomous systems. PLSs are ten wheeled logistics vehicles first introduced in the early 1990s. They are designed to transport palletized loads or containers in support of both combat and non-combat operations.

July 25, 2023

USARCENT Trains Deploying Soldiers in counter-UAS

U.S. Army Central conducted the inaugural “Green Sands” training July 13 to 24 at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. Green Sands” is designed to incorporate counter-unmanned aerial systems, or counter-UAS, into base defense operations. The training consists of both command post exercises in a Base Defense Operations Center, or BDOC, and a counter-UAS live fire.