Operation Tomodachi Update

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group has become one of the largest collections of US naval firepower deployed globally. Having been directed to provide humanitarian assistance to Japan, the Strike Group is also the largest US naval task force for disaster recovery since the earthquake off Haiti last year.

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
USS Chancellorsville (CG 62)
USS Cowpens (CG 63)
USS Preble (DDG 88)
USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62)
USS John S. McCain (DDG 56)
USS McCampbell (DDG 85)
USS Mustin (DDG 89)
USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54)
USNS Bridge (T-AOE 10)

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group is conducting relief operations off the East coast of Japan. Assuming the aircraft carrier is supporting operations points north of Sendai, the aircraft carrier is a minimum of 50 miles (and likely more) away from the Fukushima nuclear plant suffering from radiation problems.

As if debris in the water and winds with nuclear radiation didn't add enough hazards to the relief operations from sea, a winter storm added visibility problems and impacted flight operations yesterday. Specifically, the USS Ronald Reagan was unable to fly any sorties yesterday due to visibility problems, although other ships in the Strike Group were able to conduct relief operations.

Have you ever been involved in one of those wargames where the challenges being thrown at the players started to feel completely unrealistic? First an earthquake, then a tsunami, then radiation and potential nuclear fallout, then a blizzard, etc...

Welcome to Japan.

Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations off northeast Japan are being conducted in remarkably difficult conditions. There are always enormous challenges with disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations, but the environment of the disaster zone has elevated the challenge in Japan considerably.

USS Essex (LHD 2)
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)
USS Germantown (LSD 42)

We will start hearing about operations from the Essex ARG within the next 24-48 hours, and this will have the look and feel of serious business. Aircraft carriers are great and can do a lot of things, but when you really need helicopter operations - what you want is a LHD.

The Essex ARG is expected to take position off the coast of Sakata on the western coast of Honshu and has already been tasked a primary mission to assist in the reopening of Sendai airport for operations. This gives me the impression that the Sendai airport is soon to become a major hub for international relief, at least until the port of Sendai can be restored for taking goods from sea.

USS Tortuga (LSD 46)

The ship was last reported loading equipment and supplies in Tomakomai, Hokkaido. The ship is expected to transfer personnel and vehicles of the Japan Ground Self Defense Force from there to Onimato tomorrow. The operations of USS Tortuga (LSD 46) will be an important story when this is over regarding the flexibility of amphibious ships, as the vessel has primarily been used to move Japanese supplies, personnel, and equipment around instead of US Marines. It may be hard to find a better example of international cooperation when this is over than the activities of the USS Tortuga (LSD 46).

USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)

The Flagship of the Seventh Fleet is expected to arrive near Okinawa tomorrow and begin taking on quite a few people and equipment for delivery north. The ship is expected to spend a few days around Okinawa while loading on many reserve duty specialists whom I presume are being flown in from CONUS.

USNS Safeguard (T-ARS 50)

The ship reportedly delivered high-pressure water pumps to Yokosuka last night and delivered to Yokota Air Force Base for further transfer to the Government of Japan for employment at the Fukushima power plant. Four additional pumps were delivered from Sasebo this afternoon.

MV Westpac Express (HSV 4676)

This ship has been busy. On March 14 the ship moved a FARP (Forward Area Refueling Point) from Okinawa to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni where it was moved forward to Yamagata Air Field, which allowed aircraft and ground transportation vehicles to refuel while delivering support to those affected in the Sendai region.

---

The US Navy and Marine Corps response has been given high praise so far from the Japanese government, and there are already dozens of photographs that are beginning to tell the story. The US and Japan have had an interesting relationship over the past few years as both nations have wrestled with political differences on specific issues. With so many US citizens living in Japan, specifically from the military services who are at this time providing relief and support, it is going to be very interesting to see how that political relationship develops after this crisis.

Japan is the home of the 31st MEU. This relief operation will represent a very rare occasion where US Marines - best known for storming foreign shores - are involved in a major relief operation in support of their home. This is different than most relief operations, because in the case of many Marines and Navy personnel supporting this relief operations in Japan - their families live in Japan too.

As one email put it, "This is not like Indonesia. I have friends who live near Sendai. I have a friend whose family is still missing. Japan is where our kids go to school. Japan is our home."