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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
U.S. Army First Sgt. Jacob Iwanski, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa operations noncommissioned officer in charge, talks with Djiboutian coast guard Lt. Bahdon Khaire after the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The exercise allowed multinational partners to practice interoperability, communication, and tactics during personnel recovery operations. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 2 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Two Djiboutian coast guard vessels embark to participate in the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The Djiboutian coast guard worked directly with U.S. joint forces and the Spanish navy to conduct a personnel recovery exercise. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 3 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A 34-foot Dauntless-class patrol boat assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron Eleven (MSRON-1), secures the area during exercise Bull Shark, near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. MSRON-1 provides port and harbor security, high-value asset protection, and maritime security operations in coastal waterways of the Gulf of Tadjoura. (Department of Defense photo by Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye
Photo 4 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 hovers over the water while a U.S. Air Force pararescueman performs a hoist near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. Exercise Bull Shark incorporated land, sea, and air components from the U.S., Djiboutian, and Spanish militaries. (Department of Defense photo by Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye
Photo 5 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 performs a medical evacuation during exercise Bull Shark near Balbala, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. During the response operation, the recovered personnel sustained simulated injuries that required the dispatch of MV-22 Ospreys. (Department of Defense photo by Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye
Photo 6 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A Djiboutian coast guard vessel conducts overwatch operations ahead of the Spanish navy frigate Santa Maria during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. During the exercise, the Djiboutian coast guard worked directly with multinational partners. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 7 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A Djiboutian coast guard vessel protects a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The exercise included the Djiboutian coast guard, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Spanish navy. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 8 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A Djiboutian coast guardsman stands watch as the Spanish navy frigate Santa Maria passes by during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. During the exercise, the Djiboutian coast guard synchronized and coordinated with joint and partner forces to conduct crisis response and personnel recovery training. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 9 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A UH-1N Huey flies above the Spanish frigate Santa Maria during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark, near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The exercise involved joint and partner military components to conduct crisis response and personnel recovery training. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 10 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Djiboutian coast guardsmen conduct a simulated water rescue as part of the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. Djiboutian coast guardsmen worked directly with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and Spanish navy to conduct multiple simulated personnel recovery operations. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 11 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A Djiboutian coast guardsman coordinates a simulated water rescue mission from the bridge of a Djiboutian coast guard vessel as part of the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec.3, 2022. During the exercise, the Djiboutian coast guard played a direct role with multinational partners to conduct a simulated personnel recovery mission. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 12 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A Djiboutian coast guard rescue diver performs a simulated water rescue during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The exercise consisted of both simulated land and water personnel recovery operations. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 13 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
A U.S. Army National Guard Soldier stands with a Djiboutian coast guardsman aboard a Djiboutian coast guard vessel during the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Dec. 3, 2022. The exercise unified a multinational joint force to conduct a simulated personnel recovery mission. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
Photo 14 of 15
Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
Two Djiboutian coast guardsmen inspect weapons prior to participating in the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The Djiboutian coast guard took part in a personnel recovery exercise in coordination with U.S. joint forces and the Spanish navy. (Department of Defense photo by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Thomas Johns
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Combined Joint Task Force - Horn
U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Stephen Case, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa deputy commanding general, presents coins to Djiboutian coast guard members at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Dec. 3, 2022. The Djiboutian coast guard is the first line of defense and the first responders for personnel recovery missions in and around Djibouti. (Department of Defense photo by Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye)
Photo by: Staff Sgt. Dallin Wrye
Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti - The Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) joined Djiboutian and Spanish forces to conduct the combined joint interoperability exercise Bull Shark near Arta Range Dec. 3, 2022. Bull Shark is a biannual crisis response and personnel recovery exercise designed to test communication and interoperability between like-minded partners.
The exercise simulated multiple personnel recovery scenarios in water and on land under simulated fire from a hostile force. The scenario allowed for coordination of land, sea, and air components from multiple U.S. military branches, the Spanish navy and Djiboutian coast guard.
“During the land component, the Spanish launched their Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets and realized that there were hostile elements nearby their crew members, which prompted the dispatch of their [naval forces] to engage the opposing force (OPFOR), and treat the crew members medically while under pressure from the OPFOR element,” said U.S. Army Capt. Donald Arndt, CJTF-HOA exercise planner. “Once they got to the exfil from the beach, they conducted a hoist of their own with their UH-1N helicopter.”
The Djiboutian coast guard coordinated efforts with the U.S. Navy Maritime Expeditionary Security Force to simulate personnel recovery operations at sea.
"The Djiboutian coast guard has a search and rescue department that operates
in our territorial waters at all times," said Djiboutian coast guard Lt.
Youssouf Issa Iyeh, head of the search and rescue department. "Since
friendly forces such as the U.S. and the European Union are present in our
waters, it is very important to unite and carry out missions such as search
and rescue.”
During the response operation, the recovered personnel sustained simulated injuries that required the dispatch of U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Ospreys.
“[Spanish naval forces] confirmed that their patients required a higher level of care than [could be provided] aboard the Santa Maria, so the dispatched MV-22’s conducted a hoist in the water which is a very dangerous operation,” said Arndt. “They returned the casualties to [Camp Lemonnier] and the Pararescuemen actually practiced transporting the casualties from the flight line over to the Expeditionary Medical Facility.”
The exercise required complex multinational logistical coordination to ensure the mission objectives were accomplished while maneuvering safely. Training together as a combined joint force often is vital for understanding how each element operates.
“We always train as much as we can with partners and NATO forces,” said Spanish navy Cmdr. Alfonso Moramo, commanding officer of the Santa Maria. “Whenever we are operating, we are almost always looking for interoperability with partner forces.”
Every iteration of Bull Shark aims to increase in complexity and incorporate more opportunities for partner nations to learn from one another. Practicing these scenarios also allows all participants to work through communication challenges before a real world event.
“For a mission like personal recovery, when lives are at stake, we all work together to save human lives,” said Arndt. “Working with the Djiboutian coast guard and our Spanish partners ensures that if this were to happen in the real world, and sadly it does more frequently than we like, that we are able to communicate and coordinate and save human lives together.”
