Photo: Sr. AMN. Eric Beaman, USAF

An EC-C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft launches
from the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) during TANDEM THRUST 99.

TANDEM THRUST is the largest regularly scheduled Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command (USCINCPAC) sponsored exercise in the Western Pacific. TANDEM THRUST 99, the fifth in the series, was held in the Mariana Islands, 15 March to 4 April 1999. This biennial exercise tests the ability of the Commander and staff of the U.S. Seventh Fleet to function as either a joint or combined task force commander under USCINCPAC's two-tier concept for contingency operations. It also tests the USCINCPAC staff. The two-tier concept streamlines command and control by having the task force commander report directly to USCINCPAC for crisis and contingency response operations.

Photo: LCPL Penny Surdukan, USMC

U.S. Marines storm ashore from an LCAC to retake "enemy-held" territory.

The joint (more than one service) task force became a combined (more than one country) task force when members of the Australian Defence Force joined the Americans in a coalition for the exercise. Although not a member of the exercise coalition forces, the Canadian Forces agreed to provide Canadian naval ships and a Canadian Forces aircraft to play the role of the opposition force, augmenting the U.S. Air Force aircraft also playing the role of opposition force.

Photo: LCPL Penny Surdukan, USMC

The well deck of the USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43) is loaded with an air-cushion landing craft (LCAC), in turn loaded with U.S. Marine gear for amphibious operations.

Vice Adm. Walter F. Doran, Commander of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, served as Commander, Combined Task Force TANDEM THRUST 99, operating from the USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19). Commodore Russ Shalders, Commander Flotillas for the Royal Australian Navy, served as Deputy Commander of the task force, also aboard the Blue Ridge. The Commander, Opposition Force was Brig. Gen. Craig D. Hackett, Assistant Division Commander, U.S. 25th Infantry Division (Light). Commodore Ken McMillan, Commander of the Canadian Fleet Pacific, served as Deputy Commander, Opposition Force, operating ashore from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

Photo: PH3 Marjorie McMillen

Canadian naval and air forces played the role of opposition forces for TANDEM THRUST 99. HMCS Calgary (FFH-335) steams to exercise position.

This large-scale land and sea exercise involved 12,000 military personnel, 18 warships and 110 aircraft from the three countries. Thousands of Australian, U.S. and Canadian sailors; U.S. Marines; and Australian, U.S. and Canadian Forces aircraft operated at sea. Ashore on Guam and Tinian, additional U.S. Army, Marine and Air Force personnel played out the exercise scenario. Orchestrating exercise events as Director of the Combined Exercise Control Group was Rear Adm. John N. Costas, USNR. Rear Adm. Costas operated initially from Camp Smith, Hawaii, for the command post exercise, then from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, for the field training exercise.

Photo: PH3 Marjorie McMillen

HMAS Sydney (F-O3), one of four Australian warships, three aircraft, and 1,000 air and naval personnel which formed a combined task force with U.S. forces.

The exercise scenario was based upon an appeal for assistance from the fictional island nation of Arura (islands of Guam, Tinian and Rota), being invaded by a neighboring, militarily superior island country called Kepuha (Farallon de Medinilla island). A combined U.S.-Australian air-ground-naval task force, centered primarily on Task Force 70 (the USS Kitty Hawk Carrier Battle Group [CV-63], responded to the regional crisis.