When the largest joint warfighting experiment ever begins on Aug. 1, the NAVAIR Weapons Division sites at China Lake and Point Mugu will be active participants. More than 13,000 military personnel and civilian employees from all branches of the Armed Forces will take part in Millennium Challenge 2002 (MC02). The Navy’s portion of the effort is known as Fleet Battle Experiment-Juliet (FBE-J), the 10th such experiment in the past eight years.

Much of the action of MC02 and FBE-J is slated to occur on the sea and land ranges of NAVAIR WD. Additionally, a Strike Warfare Command Center (STWC) will be established at China Lake’s Precision Engagement Center at Michelson Laboratory.

On the Sea Range, high-speed maneuverable surface craft will become targets for a firing exercise involving an AC-130 gunship and a SH-60 helicopter armed with Hellfire missiles. One AH-64 attack helicopter will join the exercise attacking with rockets.

Small boats from the Weapons Division’s Surface Targets team will stage at Wilson Cove on San Clemente Island to attack ships operating on the Sea Range.

Early in FBE-J, tactical aircraft from VX-9 at China Lake and Carrier Air Wing 9 at Naval Air Station Lemoore, will attack targets with live ordnance on China Lake’s north range.

The Land Ranges will also see US Army involvement as a deep strike attack by Arm air mobile and special operations forces will deploy to the North Range. Staging from Fort Irwin for a night attack, soldiers will establish a forward refueling base on the Electronic Combat Range before attacking targets on the North Range.

Airfields at both Point Mugu and China Lake will host a variety of aircraft flying in support of FBE-J or MC02 missions.

--NOTE TO EDITORS--

News media representatives interested in viewing some of the NAVAIR Weapons Division’s involvement in FBE-J and the larger joint warfighting experiment, MC02, are invited to China Lake on Aug 1 and Point Mugu on Aug. 2.

Participating media will get a briefing on the NAVAIR WD activities and may be able to visit locations where members of the Armed Forces and civilian technical experts are conducting operations in MC02. Reporters interested are asked to call Steve Boster at (760) 939-4881 or email to:
[email protected]
no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, 30 July 2002.