HATZOR AIR FORCE BASE, Israel More than 1,000 service members from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines are working together alongside Israeli troops during Juniper Cobra 2010 (JC10).
"This exercise is utilizing hundreds of people from different branches, all working together to maximize the outcome and continue to build on the relations with the Israeli military," said Navy Capt. Donna Joyal, joint task force manpower director. "Such a large scale exercise requires an equally massive amount of planning," Joyal continued. She credits much of the smoothness of the arrival due to the months of work completed prior to departing the respective home bases. "Training and preparedness truly equates to success." Everything had to be considered for any situation that may arise. From living quarters and work spaces, to recreation and transportation, all were essential to make the exercise the most productive experience possible.
The Juniper Cobra exercises have been held every two years since 2001. JC10 is the fifth iteration of this exercise, with this year's focus on testing the active missile-defense capabilities of both U.S. and Israeli armed forces.
The USS O'Kane and USS Hopper, were among participants in Juniper Cobra. The USS Hopper successfully conducted an intercept of a sub-scale, short-range ballistic missile in the Pacific on July 30, during an exercise called Stellar Avenger. Hopper and two other destroyers--the O'Kane and USS Lake Erie--detected and tracked the missile, which was launched from Hawaii, with AN/SPY-1 radars that are part of the Aegis system. Hopper fired an SM-3 Block IA missile and guided it to hit the target 100 mi. overhead. The O'Kane conducted a simulated intercept, and the Lake Erie tracked the target. The hit was the 19th successful intercept for the Aegis system in 23 firings at sea.
The capabilities of at-sea intercepts are crucial, since one leg of a joint U.S.-Israel missile-defense program could be the stationing of Aegis cruisers in the Mediterranean and Red seas, where they would extend and enhance Israel's defensive umbrella
Proper planning key to success during Juniper Cobra 2010 | EUCOM, Stronger Together