# Operation Valiant Shield



## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

I know this is totally unrelated to Outbacks and camping, but since we have both a son, and son-in-law that took part in this exercise this month, I thought I would post this picture. This event was only mentioned in passing in the mainstream news, but it has considerable significance. This is the first time 3 Carrier Strike Groups have operated together in the Pacific since Viet Nam. It no doubt sends a message to any would-be troublemaker(s), that even though our military is heavily deployed in the Middle East, we still have this kind of firepower available for an exercise in a totally different part of the globe.


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## campmg (Dec 24, 2005)

You know I will love that picture. It's awesome.


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Somebody help me out please. The lead aircraft is a USAF B2 Bomber. The lead right aircraft appear to be Navy/Marine F-18s. What are the lead left aircraft? The Aft right aircraft could be the same as the lead aircraft or could maybe be F-16s. The aft left aircraft have me completely stumped...

Reverie


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Now that would sell as a Poster!!! Cool Pic


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## bill_pfaff (Mar 11, 2005)

I dig it, I love it but the practical side of me makes me wonder about putting that much strike force all together in one place. (Remember Pearl Harbor)

OK so I'm a little paranoid.


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

Reverie said:


> Somebody help me out please.Â The lead aircraft is a USAF B2 Bomber.Â The lead rightÂ aircraft appear to be Navy/Marine F-18s.Â What are the lead left aircraft?Â The Aft right aircraft could be the same as the lead aircraft or could maybe be F-16s.Â The aft left aircraft have me completely stumped...
> 
> Reverie
> [snapback]123570[/snapback]​


Yes, they did let the Air Force come and play in their sand-box for this one. I believe all of the Air Force planes came from Anderson AFB on Guam. Except for the B2....don't they keep those at Whiteman only? I don't think any are forward deployed at Anderson. As for the type of aircraft in question...I don't have a clue...but I bet I could find out.
FYI My son is on the Lincoln (CVN72), one of the lead carriers. My son-in-law is on the Cowpens (CG63 - "The Mighty Moo"), the cruiser following immediately behind the Kitty Hawk (CV63).

Here is a link to the official web site: Valiant Shield

Bob


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

Way cool, Bob!

I know I wouldn't want to mess with us!









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## Crawfish (Sep 14, 2005)

Reverie said:


> Somebody help me out please. The lead aircraft is a USAF B2 Bomber. The lead right aircraft appear to be Navy/Marine F-18s. What are the lead left aircraft? The Aft right aircraft could be the same as the lead aircraft or could maybe be F-16s. The aft left aircraft have me completely stumped...
> 
> Reverie
> [snapback]123570[/snapback]​


Nick, I can't tell for sure but they kinda look like the new JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) the X35C. But then again I'm not sure if they have deployed those fighters yet.

Great picture Bob.

Leon


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

Leon you are right in that the X-35 has not reached production, though they do favor them. The B2 can be forward deployed to Anderson as a force projection location. I love planes. I am retired F-16 Avionics technician, four years teaching it, worked on helicopters and F-4Es as well. My wife has worked at Lockheed-Martin at the Marietta, GA production plant for almost 24 years. My Father-In-Law is 74 and still works full time for the DoD as a weapons system program manager at Robins AFB, GA. He is also retired USAF (31 Years/E9). My father was a retired USAF Major, cargo pilot and both of my brothers were USAF, my older brother retired the same year I did. In short, we LOVE airplanes.

Reverie


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## FridayYet? (Feb 9, 2006)

That has now become my desktop background screen.
Thanks!

Mike


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

I e-mailed my son earlier and just heard back. He believes the front formations are both F/A 18's. The rear formations might be F-16's.
He says the one OUT OF FORMATION in the right rear is definitely AIR FORCE.








The Carriers are, left to right: Lincoln, Kitty Hawk, Reagan.

Bob


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## fl_diesel (Feb 15, 2006)

W4DRR said:


> I e-mailed my son earlier and just heard back. He believes the front formations are both F/A 18's. The rear formations might be F-16's.
> He says the one OUT OF FORMATION in the right rear is definitely AIR FORCE.
> 
> 
> ...


Bob,

Very cool photo!

Jon


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

Reverie said:


> Somebody help me out please. The lead aircraft is a USAF B2 Bomber. The lead right aircraft appear to be Navy/Marine F-18s. What are the lead left aircraft? The Aft right aircraft could be the same as the lead aircraft or could maybe be F-16s. The aft left aircraft have me completely stumped...
> 
> Reverie
> [snapback]123570[/snapback]​


The lead left aircraft also appear to be F/A-18's (one group of 4 are E/F models, the other 4 are C/D models). You can see a comparison here.

The aft fighters appear to be a pair of F-15's and F-16's.


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

7heaven said:


> Reverie said:
> 
> 
> > Somebody help me out please.Â The lead aircraft is a USAF B2 Bomber.Â The lead rightÂ aircraft appear to be Navy/Marine F-18s.Â What are the lead left aircraft?Â The Aft right aircraft could be the same as the lead aircraft or could maybe be F-16s.Â The aft left aircraft have me completely stumped...
> ...


I think you are right. Upon closer inspection of the high res picture available on the Valiant Shield web site, some of the rear aircraft do look like F-15's in addition to the F-16's.

Bob


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## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

Alright, you are all in luck. I have first hand knowledge of the aircraft, because I am responsible for the maintenance on some of them. As stated before, the front aircraft are F/A 18 Hornets, but I believe it is a visual illusion, there are only F/A-18C models attached to the exercise. The middle aircraft is a B-2, and all that I believe that I can say is although capable of doing it, the aircraft did not make a flight from the mid-west for this photo. The aircraft on the back left is two F-15E's (my aircraft), from AK, as well as two F-16CJ's, not sure what base they are from. The back right is two F-15C's from our base in Japan, and rounding it out is two more F-16CJ's. I would be there supporting the exercise, but for once in my career I decided to stay home and enjoy my summer.







Btw, all of the information I added to this post is available via public release at http://www.pacom.mil/exercises/vs2006/imagery060620b.shtml. (Just a little CYA)


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

It's now my desktop at work!


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

mik0445 said:


> Alright, you are all in luck. I have first hand knowledge of the aircraft, because I am responsible for the maintenance on some of them. As stated before, the front aircraft are F/A 18 Hornets, but I believe it is a visual illusion, there are only F/A-18C models attached to the exercise. The middle aircraft is a B-2, and all that I believe that I can say is although capable of doing it, the aircraft did not make a flight from the mid-west for this photo. The aircraft on the back left is two F-15E's (my aircraft), from AK, as well as two F-16CJ's, not sure what base they are from. The back right is two F-15C's from our base in Japan, and rounding it out is two more F-16CJ's. I would be there supporting the exercise, but for once in my career I decided to stay home and enjoy my summer.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


My understanding is, some of the Air Force aircraft came from Anderson AFB on "lovely" Guam, where America's day begins. Hafa Adai!

Bob


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## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

What an awesome post and picture. Thanks for sharing. Having spent some time in the Navy that brought back memories.


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## mik0445 (Jun 5, 2006)

W4DRR said:


> mik0445 said:
> 
> 
> > Alright, you are all in luck.Â I have first hand knowledge of the aircraft, because I am responsible for the maintenance on some of them.Â As stated before, the front aircraft are F/A 18 Hornets, but I believe it is a visual illusion, there are only F/A-18C models attached to the exercise.Â The middle aircraft is a B-2, and all that I believe that I can say is although capable of doing it, the aircraft did not make a flight from the mid-west for this photo.Â The aircraft on the back left is two F-15E's (my aircraft), from AK, as well as two F-16CJ's, not sure what base they are from.Â The back right is two F-15C's from our base in Japan, and rounding it out is two more F-16CJ's.Â I would be there supporting the exercise, but for once in my career I decided to stay home and enjoy my summer.
> ...


Yes, there are several aircraft and maintainers temporarily in Guam, 'roughing it' to participate in this exercise.


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