The March 24-27 exercise saw aviators practice fifth generation fighting in 17 simulated combat missions comprising advanced warfighting scenarios. Read more from my story featured in Defense News.

Although it’s been called unusual for Navy destroyers to deploy in this role, it is not without precedent. What is noteworthy about recent developments is not that Navy warships are being used for drug interdiction missions or to counteract transnational crime, but the speed and concentration with which they are being deployed to this area. […]

The battle provides a fascinating study of generalship.