U.S. Department of Defense

08/18/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 08/18/2022 07:05

Missile Defense Exercise Concludes Near Hawaii

Missile Defense Exercise Pacific Dragon 2022, Concludes Near Hawaii

15 August 2022

From Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Public Affairs

KAUAI, Hawaii - Forces from the Royal Australian Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea Navy, U.S Missile Defense Agency, and U.S Navy successfully conducted Pacific Dragon 2022 (PD22), a recurring biennial multinational air and missile defense exercise, from August 5-15, 2022, in Hawaii at Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands (PMRF) and off the coast of Kauai.

PD22 was the first iteration of exercise Pacific Dragon that included a live fire intercept of a short range ballistic missile using a Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) Block IA.

USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) launches a Standard Missile 3 Block IA as part of Pacific Dragon 22. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy Photo)
PACIFIC DRAGON 2022
USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) launches a Standard Missile 3 Block IA as part of Pacific Dragon 22. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy Photo)
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Photo By: 3rd Fleet
VIRIN: 220809-N-N0842-1002


Assets that participated in PD22 included HMAS Sydney (DDG 42), HMAS Supply (A 195), HMCS Vancouver (FFH 331), JS Haguro (DDG 180), ROKS Sejong the Great (DDG 991), USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110), and Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands, Kauai.
Multinational ships sail in formation during Pacific Dragon 2022, Aug. 12. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy photo by Electronics Technician 2nd Class Leland T. Hasty II)
PACIFIC DRAGON 2022
Multinational ships sail in formation during Pacific Dragon 2022, Aug. 12. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy photo by Electronics Technician 2nd Class Leland T. Hasty II)
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Photo By: 3rd Fleet
VIRIN: 220812-N-LN285-1320


Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise designed to improve tactical and technical coordination and interoperability concerning regional air and missile defense capability.

An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to execute our Navy's role, in support of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the joint force, across the full spectrum of military operations-from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our Allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
PACIFIC OCEAN (August 9, 2022) USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) launches a Standard Missile 3 Block IA as part of Pacific Dragon 22. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy Photo)
Pacific Dragon 2022
PACIFIC OCEAN (August 9, 2022) USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) launches a Standard Missile 3 Block IA as part of Pacific Dragon 22. Hosted by U.S. 3rd Fleet, Pacific Dragon is a biennial exercise in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area that enhances participating forces' interoperability to track and report on air and missile defense targets. (U.S. Navy Photo)
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Photo By: 3rd Fleet
VIRIN: 220809-N-N0842-1001