[المنتصر]

Overview

The Army operates the National Training Center (NTC) at Fort Irwin,

California, the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and the Combat Maneuver Training Center (CMTC) at Hohenfels, Germany. Instrumented field exercises are used at each of these locations to improve the readiness of battalion and brigade-sized units. These training opportunities build on home-station training, which is limited by range availability. The Army will train 10 heavy brigades in FY 1998 at the NTC and 10 light brigades at the JRTC, while providing annual training opportunities at the CMTC for all of its European-based infantry and armor battalions.

The Air Force conducts three Red Flag/Green Flag exercises annually at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

In addition to providing training for Navy/Marine Corps and coalition forces, these exercises provide composite force package training for Air Force tactical aircraft squadrons on about an 18-month rotational basis. Air Force units conduct similar training in annual Maple Flag combined-force exercises held in Canada.

The Navy participates in about 175 unit exercises annually.

Ninety percent of these exercises involve operations with other U.S. or multinational forces. These deployments improve the ability of naval forces to conduct forward presence missions and to operate effectively as part of a joint or combined force. In addition, the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nevada, conducts four to five exercises annually for carrier air wings. This program provides predeployment integrated strike training for naval aviation units.

The Marine Corps conducts 10 to 12 combined-arms exercises annually at Twenty-Nine Palms, California.

These drills provide combined-arms training and combat readiness evaluations for Marine tactical air and assault support squadrons operating in support of ground forces. In the case of ground forces, eight active and two reserve infantry battalions, plus associated combat support and combat service support elements, train each year at the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center at Twenty-Nine Palms. Marine expeditionary units (special operations capable) undergo intense, 26-week predeployment training, during which they conduct operations both ashore and at sea.