Inspired Alert
The "Inspired" series of combined US-Pakistani military exercises is scheduled by the US Central Command.
INSPIRED ALERT is a naval air exercise conducted between USN and USMC fixed wing aircraft and Pakistani Air Force.
The "Warhawks" of Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) ... participated in Operation Inspired Alert with the Pakistani Air Force, during which they flew with and against Pakistani F-7, Mirage F-1
(Correction: Mirage III and V), and F-16 aircraft. This provided the pilots with valuable training against dissimilar fighter aircraft.
In March 1997 USS Cowpens (CG 63) participated in Exercise Inspired Alert off the coast of Pakistan. Held in conjunction with Pakistan's military, the exercise provided training for surface and aviation units from both nations. The San Diego-based guided missile cruiser coordinated 380 sorties simulating bombing runs, air strikes and air-to-air combat scenarios by Carrier Air Wing 11 aircraft from USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63). According to Operations Specialist 1st Class Randy Hamilton, of Santee, Calif., the most valuable part of the exercise was the "mutual training and interaction between the United States and Pakistan."
Hamilton noted that while Pakistan operates familiar aircraft and other military equipment, their tactics and maneuvers differ from those used by U.S. pilots.
During the WestPac 1997 cruise, the VAW-117 Wallbangers on board the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) had the unique opportunity to fly with the Pakistani Air Force in an exercise dubbed Inspired Alert. Inspired Alert was a series of overland power projection strikes coupled with joint air combat maneuvering scenarios in which the Wallbangers provided the essential link from strike planning, Command, Control and Communication, (also known as C3), to all fighter close control.
The U.S. Navy's Constellation Battle Group engaged in bilateral air and surface military exercise with elements from the Pakistani Air Force and Navy off the coast of Pakistan in the waters of the Arabian Sea Aug. 8-12, 1997. The purpose of this training mission was to exercise joint-combined naval and air capabilities of both forces, improve their respective levels of readiness and interoperability and enhance military relations between the two nations.
This exercise incorporated both surface ship and air components, dubbed Inspired Siren 97-2 and Inspired Alert 97-2, respectively. While the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV 64) and her embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing TWO, were engaged in air training during Inspired Alert, the remainder of the battle group conducted Inspired Siren, which includes training in tactical maneuvering, electronic surveillance, gunnery events, air defense exercises, deck landing qualifications and formation steaming between surface vessels from Pakistan and the U.S.
During the four day exercise, the navy and marine corps team, who comprise CVW-2, engaged in Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT), overland strikes, War at Sea Exercises (WASEX) and Weapons Delivery Training (WDT). The air wing anticipates that by the end of the exercise, over 150 sorties were flown between the two nations in accordance with the established intensive training schedule. The joint-combined exercise also included an opportunity for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and CVW-2 pilots to exchange hops in each other's aircraft, providing a unique glance at foreign platforms.
According to Lt. David Burnham, a pilot assigned to CVW-2's Fighter Squadron Two (VF-2), "Inspired Alert 97-2 offers a pilot the unique opportunity to fly against platforms he may face as a potential adversary elsewhere in the world."
Cmdr. Scott Stewart, VF-2's executive officer and head coordinator for Inspired Alert, echoed Burnham's position, "To face off in the ACM arena with F-7's, Mirage III's and F-16's is what every fighter pilot dreams of. The Pakistani's are very professional pilots and gracious hosts," he said. "I am confident that Inspired Alert 97-2 will be the training event of the cruise."
This exercise provided CVW-2 the rare opportunity to train head-to-head against another nation and promises mutually beneficial training for all hands involved.
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Inspired Alert
so sorry if I scared you .
