Naval Weaponry Exercises

Dramatic missile launches and live-fire exercises aboard naval vessels. High-energy scenes emphasizing military readiness and firepower against ocean backdrops.

Pacific Ocean, September 12, 2012 - The forward deployed Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens launches a Harpoon missile from the aft missile deck.
Pacific Ocean, September 12, 2012 - The forward deployed Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens launches a Harpoon missile from the aft missile deck.
130 assets in this story
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DN-ST-85-10919. Subject Operation/Series: READEX 2-83 Base: Vieques Island Country: Puerto Rico (PRI)
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A stern view of the battleship USS IOWA (BB-61) conducting a gunnery demonstration during NATO exercise Baltic Operations '85. 10/17/1985. Department of Defense/GG Vintage Images
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USS Shiloh Launching Missile
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060519-N-9851B-002. Base: USS Tortuga (LSD 46)
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MEDITERRANEAN SEA (April 7, 2017) The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) conducts strike operations while in the Mediterranean Sea, April 7, 2017. Porter, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.
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GUNNER's mates fire a round from a saluting gun aboard the battleship USS IOWA (BB 61). Base: USS Iowa (BB 61) Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)
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Point exercises with the air cooling gun A / B from the frigate Hr.Ms. Evertsen (F 803, EX-D 802), 1957.
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221206-N-GF955-1025BALTIC SEA (Dec. 6, 2022) A MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79, Detachment 2, launch flares as it flies alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117), Dec. 6, 2022. Paul Ignatius, forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet, to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.
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041112-N-8704K-002. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67)
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220807-N-CH260-1345 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 7, 2022) Two F/A-18E Super Hornets, both assigned to the "Tophatters" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, drop dud bombs alongside the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) during an air power demonstration for embarked guests. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet.
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A salvo is fired from the No. 3 Mark 7 16-inch/50 caliber gun turret aboard the battleship USS IOWA (BB-61). The turret is trained as far forward as possible on the starboard side with guns elevated to the level of the BGM-109 Tomahawk missile armored box launchers. The guns are being fired in order to determine the launcher`s overpressure resistance. Fourth view in a series of five. Country: Unknown
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An aerial port bow view of the Los Angeles class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI (SSN-705) underway. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)
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050224-N-0000X-003. Base: USS Lake Erie (CG 70)
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051117-O-0000X-002. Complete Scene Caption: A medium-range separating target missile is seen seconds after lift-off from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii (HI). Six minutes later, the target was intercepted by a developmental Standard Missile Three (SM-3) launched from the Pearl Harbor based Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser USS LAKE ERIE (CG 70) not shown. The test was the sixth intercept, in seven flight tests, by the AEGIS (Airborne Early-Warning Ground-Environmental Integration Segment) Ballistic Missile Defense, the maritime component of the "Hit to Kill" Ballistic Missile Defense System, being developed by the Missile Defense Agency. All previous Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense flight tests were against unitary (non-separating) targets. State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Dec. 31, 2015) Fire Controlman 2nd Class Stephanie Drake from Pearland, Texas, fires a mark 38 mod 2 25mm machine gun during a live fire exercise aboard USS Carney (DDG 64). Carney, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, forward deployed to Rota, Spain, is conducting a routine patrol in the U. S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe.
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November 14, 2006 - U.S. Navy aircraft from Carrier Air Wing Five fly over a formation of U.S. and Japanese ships in the Pacific Ocean at the conclusion of ANNUALEX 2006. The bilateral exercise included 8,500 U.S. Sailors aboard 13 ships, submarines and various shore-based aircraft as well as about 90 Japanese ships and 130 aircraft.
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PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 24, 2017) An SM-2 missile launches and destroys an airborne training target during a successful first test of the updated AEGIS Baseline 9 weapons system aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay (CG 53). Mobile Bay, the first guided-missile cruiser in the fleet to upgrade from AEGIS Baseline 8 to the updated Baseline 9, is underway testing new weapons capabilities in preparation for its upcoming deployment.
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A PAC-2 Patriot interceptor missile is launched at a Kratos Defense Firejet cruise missile surrogate target during the Patriot live-fire exercise as part of Valiant Shield 22. Air defenders from Charlie Battery, 1-1 Air Defense Artillery Battalion successfully intercepted the target at approximately 10:00 a.m. local time. The target traveled out to sea on a southeast track, then executed a 180-degree turn and flew towards the airport from the southeast. At this point, two PAC-2 Patriot interceptor missiles engaged the target in salvo mode, with the second Patriot launching three seconds after the first. The interceptor missiles engaged the target approximately 35km off the coast of Palau at an altitude of 10,000 feet and speed of 350 knots; the first interceptor successfully destroyed the target, and the second interceptor adjusted course to target the largest piece of debris from the first intercept.The Patriot system is already a combat-proven system, but this exercise saw the first
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A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered strategic missile submarine USS JAMES MONROE (SSBN-622) underway. Country: Unknown
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A ground-to-air view of an MGM-118A Peacekeeper international ballistic missile moments after lift-off from the launch canister. This is the first test launch of the Peacekeeper. Base: Vandenberg Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Launch of Standard Missile Three
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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Chase Cunningham, 159th Fighter Generation Squadron weapons load crew member, prepares to load munitions onto an F-15E Strike Eagle during a weapons load competition at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 11, 2024. Weapons load competitions test a squadrons ability to safely and accurately load munitions onto their respective aircraft.
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The guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) launches Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles in response to increased Iranian-backed Houthi malign behavior in the Red Sea Jan. 12, 2024. As a part of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, Gravely is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to support maritime security and stability in the Middle East.
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SOUTH CHINA SEA (July 4, 2020) An F/A-18F Super Hornet attached to the Diamondbacks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 102 launches from the flight deck of the Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Ronald Reagan is the flagship of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 5. The Nimitz and Ronald Reagan CSGs are conducting dual-carrier operations as the Nimitz Carrier Strike Force.
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USA, New Mexico, White Sands Missle Range: Nike Missle & Launcher White Sands Missle Range Museum
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120627-N-ZZ999-004PACIFIC OCEAN (June 27, 2012) A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1B interceptor is launched from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) for the second time during a Missile Defense Agency test in the Pacific Ocean. The SM-3 Block 1B successfully intercepted a short-range ballistic missile target that had been launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, located on Kauai, Hawaii.
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DA-SC-89-11651. Base: White Sands Missile Range State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A U.S. Army M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, from 3rd Battalion, 321 Field Artillery Regiment, attached to 41st Field Artillery Brigade, fires a rocket as part of Nordic Strike 22, at Vidsel Test Range, Sweden, Sept. 27, 2022. U.S. Army Europe and Africa possesses the organic ability to integrate these long-range precision fires rapidly, with partner nations, during exercises, like Nordic Strike 22, and potential conflict to deliver scalable joint fires in support of U.S. and partner nations operations anywhere in Europe, Africa and beyond.
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