Bold Alligator

Bold Alligator
Name	Bold Alligator
Type	Amphibious warfare exercise
Country	United States
Active	2009–present
Participants	United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Army, United States Air Force, Royal Navy, French Navy, Spanish Navy
Location	Camp Lejeune, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story
First	2009

Bold Alligator Bold Alligator is a recurring multinational amphibious and littoral warfare exercise conducted primarily off the eastern seaboard of the United States and centered on Camp Lejeune, Norfolk, Virginia, and Virginia Beach, Virginia. The exercise integrates assets from the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Army, and United States Air Force with partner navies such as the Royal Navy, French Navy, and Royal Netherlands Navy, and it draws doctrine, tactics, and personnel influenced by historical events like the Gallipoli Campaign and the Normandy landings. Bold Alligator emphasizes interoperability among NATO members, coordination with commands such as United States Fleet Forces Command and U.S. European Command, and testing of platforms including the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, Amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5), and the Landing Craft Air Cushion.

Overview

Bold Alligator serves as a deliberate, large-scale amphibious demonstration that links sea, air, and land components from allied entities such as NATO, the French Armed Forces, the Royal Australian Navy, and the Spanish Navy. The exercise showcases doctrine derived from manuals promulgated by United States Marine Corps Combat Development Command, interoperability standards set by Allied Maritime Command, and amphibious concepts refined after operations like Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Activities commonly include embarkation and debarkation operations coordinated with units from II Marine Expeditionary Force, logistics planning involving United States Transportation Command, and command-and-control testing using networks akin to Joint Task Force architectures and systems like Link 16.

History and Development

Initiated in 2009, Bold Alligator evolved from earlier exercises such as Exercise Dawn Blitz and historical amphibious experiments linked to the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. Early iterations responded to lessons from Operation Desert Storm and doctrinal shifts after the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review, incorporating contributions from allies like Canada and Italy. Over multiple cycles the exercise expanded to integrate cyber and maritime security components influenced by events such as the 2008 South Ossetia war and policy guidance from NATO Summit in Lisbon. Planners from United States Northern Command and United States Southern Command iteratively adapted scenarios to test modern platforms including the MV-22 Osprey, F-35B Lightning II, and littoral combat concepts exemplified by the Zumwalt-class destroyer.

Exercise Objectives and Scope

Primary objectives include validating joint forcible entry capability, enhancing interoperability among allies such as United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, and Spain, and rehearsing amphibious operations comparable to historical operations like Operation Torch. The scope encompasses sea control, power projection, humanitarian assistance modeled on Operation Tomodachi and non-combatant evacuation operations similar to Operation Unified Response, and command relationships involving entities such as U.S. Fleet Forces Command and Marine Forces Command. Additional aims involve testing integration of aircraft from Carrier Air Wing elements, coordination with units inspired by 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and maritime domain awareness collaboration with organizations like the U.S. Coast Guard.

Participating Forces and Units

Participants typically include expeditionary units such as 3rd Marine Division, amphibious ready groups centered on ships like USS Wasp (LHD-1), aviation assets from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and surface combatants from allied navies such as HMS Albion (L14) and FS Mistral (L9013). Supporting commands often involve the II Marine Expeditionary Force, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, and elements of the United States Army XVIII Airborne Corps for joint forcible entry integration. Air support may be provided by squadrons from United States Air Forces in Europe, NATO multinational wings, and coalition air assets from countries including Australia and Japan when participating in combined training events.

Training Activities and Scenarios

Training activities span amphibious assault rehearsals, ship-to-shore movements, live-fire gunnery, and integrated air-ground operations using platforms like the M1 Abrams, M777 howitzer, AH-1Z Viper, and F-35B Lightning II. Scenarios emulate contested littoral environments informed by historic campaigns such as the Dieppe Raid and recent contingencies similar to Evacuation of Saigon (1975), incorporating deception, assault planning, and sustainment operations managed with logistics systems akin to Defense Logistics Agency procedures. Cyber and electronic warfare scenarios have been introduced to mirror threats highlighted by incidents involving actors like Russian Federation and People's Republic of China, while humanitarian assistance scenarios draw lessons from Hurricane Katrina and 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami responses.

Logistics and Safety Measures

Logistics for Bold Alligator coordinate sealift and airlift resources from Military Sealift Command and Air Mobility Command, staging at bases such as Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story and Naval Station Norfolk. Safety and environmental measures reference standards espoused by agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and align with protocols from Occupational Safety and Health Administration when applicable to force protection. Medical support is typically provided by Fleet Hospital elements and expeditionary medical units, while range management works with entities like Naval Sea Systems Command and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for safety and environmental compliance.

Impact and Criticism

Bold Alligator has influenced amphibious doctrine, contributing to revisions by United States Marine Corps, informing procurement choices impacting programs such as the LPD-17 San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and America-class amphibious assault ship, and reinforcing alliances through exercises with NATO partners. Critics cite concerns over cost, environmental impacts near areas like Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and the realism of opposing force modeling compared to contemporary threats posed by states such as the People's Republic of China and Russian Federation. Supporters argue the exercise enhances readiness against contingencies akin to Operation Enduring Freedom while fostering interoperability among allied forces including United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Netherlands.

Category:Military exercises Category:Amphibious warfare