The Bright Star multinational training exercise -- the largest of its kind in the world -- "increases regional stability and provides opportunities to enhance military cooperation among Egypt, the United States, and other coalition countries with mutual interests," says U.S. Army Captain Paula Jones. Bright Star 99/00, organized by the U.S. Central Command, includes a computer-aided command post exercise conducted in conjunction with a field exercise involving tactical air, ground, naval, and special operations forces. The combined coalition force is more than 70,000 troops and includes participants from 11 countries: Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and the United States, says Jones, a media relations officer for Bright Star 99/00.

The history of Bright Star is very rich and impressive. After Egypt signed the 1978 Camp David Accords, members of the U.S. Armed Forces began training side-by-side with their Egyptian military counterparts in the Egyptian desert. This small unit training evolved into an annual summer exercise known as Bright Star. It began in the summer of 1980 as a single service bilateral ground maneuver event, with only ground forces of the U.S. and Egyptian armies initially participating in the training. Bright Start in 1981 was a similar bilateral ground maneuver exercise, although the number of participating troops increased significantly. Due to the growing numbers of participating troops and the logistical demands, Bright Star became a biennial event starting in 1983.

In 1985, the United States and Egypt added the air force to complement the ground forces in Bright Star, and special forces and naval forces from both countries joined in 1987. Beginning in 1989, Bright Star was held in the fall, instead of the summer, to accommodate the fiscal year which begins on October 1. In 1991, U.S. forces were committed to the Persian Gulf region for the Gulf War, and, as a result, Bright Star did not take place in 1992. However the exercise resumed in 1994 and was larger and better than ever. Bright Star 1996 marked the first time that countries other than the United States and Egypt joined the exercise. The new participants that year included France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, and, in 1998, Kuwait was added to the nations taking part in the exercise.

A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 refueler deployed from Forth Worth, Texas, flies over the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, during Bright Star 99/00 on October 25, 1999.

Bright Star 99/00 -- the eleventh in the series and the most significant -- is setting the foundation for future ambitious coalition operations. The coalition has increased with the addition of the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, and Jordan and now includes the armed forces of 11 nations and more than 70,000 troops. Thirty-three observer countries also are represented. While these countries do not have troops actively participating in Bright Star, they all have representatives on site to learn and see how the coalition operates. The nations with observer status are: Algeria, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Burundi, Canada, China, Congo, India, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Syria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

Bright Star consists of three main segments: affiliation training, a computer-aided command post exercise, and a field training exercise. Affiliation training includes small unit training to familiarize participants with equipment, tactics, and training procedures in preparation for the field training exercise. The computer-aided command post exercise is designed to test the coalition leadership's command-and-control standard operating procedures at the operational level of war. The field training exercise is designed to practice coalition staff coordination with troops. The focus of this year's training is to improve readiness and interoperability among U.S., Egyptian, and other coalition forces.

There are several training exercise events during Bright Star, and the largest joint coalition event is the Amphibious Assault Demonstration. In October 1999 six amphibious units from Egypt, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States participated in the demonstration, forming the Combined Amphibious Task Force commanded by Commodore Niall Kilgour, Royal Navy, United Kingdom. They received support from surface and air elements from five other nations.

The coalition forces trained together for a little over a week to conduct this precise demonstration by sea, air, and land units. It began with an inflatable raiding craft launch from amphibious units at sea as Egyptian F-16s soared overhead engaging French Mirage 2000 aircraft representing hostile intruders. The forces began their beach landing with Egyptian Rangers, Naval Special Operations Forces from the Egyptian Navy, and forces from the U.K./Netherlands Landing Force hitting the sand, first, to carry out reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance, and target acquisition. Close air support followed the landing with Harrier aircraft from the U.S. Marine Corps' 22nd MEU (SOC) (Marine Expeditionary Unit, Special Operations Capable) from the USS BATAAN. Then, aviation patrols with a pair of AH-1W (Huey) Cobra helicopters swept in from the 22nd MEU (SOC), followed by a Gazelle Light Observation helicopter and a Lynx TOW armed helicopter from the U.K./Netherlands Air Force.

It was then time to prepare the defense. The Royal UK and Netherlands Marines flew in on Royal Navy and Air Force helicopters, and the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) flew in a platoon of Marines from the 22nd MEU (SOC) on CH-46 Sea Knights. The coalition efforts were in full swing as an Egyptian Airborne platoon was inserted by a USMC CH-53 Sea Stallion. Finally, Italian soldiers of the San Marco Battalion and Greek Marines flew in on Italian Agusta 212s. The surface assault followed with U.S. combat rubber raiding craft and Italian and U.K. rigid raiding craft unleashing Greek, Italian, U.K. and U.S. forces from the sea. They were followed by a platoon of Egyptian Airborne Troops hitting the beach from a pair of British Landing Craft Vehicles from the helicopter carrier HMS OCEAN.

With the beach and immediate surrounding area secure, a wave of American and Egyptian Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) landed. As the demonstration neared completion, several U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCACs) parted the waters making huge water sprays. The LCACs hovered to the beach amidst a sandy cloud and revealed Egyptian M-60A3 Main Battle Tanks onboard ready to hit the beach. Finally, a USMC M-1A1 Abrams Tank completed the initial deployment of combat power in the assault.

Addressing a press conference at the conclusion of the masterfully coordinated demonstration, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen said: "What you saw today was a strong statement, a chorus of nations from the U.S. to Egypt, from Jordan to Kuwait and the U.A.E. These are nations building prosperity for their people, not palaces for their armies."

"One country that is not represented here today," Cohen declared, "should pay close attention to what Bright Star represents....Saddam Hussein remains an outlaw in his own neighborhood."

Bright Star's purpose is to help with coalition-building. It is designed to bring together a coalition of military forces and build better understanding, friendship, and cooperation through realistic training exercise scenarios, a computer-aided command post exercise, and in-depth affiliation training created to familiarize coalition forces with personnel, equipment, and tactics of the participating nations. The exercise also increases regional stability and provides opportunities to enhance military cooperation among Egypt, the United States, and other coalition countries with mutual interests. Finally, Bright Star provides military forces at all levels with unique opportunities to strengthen military relationships and gain experience through training with coalition counterparts. The exercise also increases awareness and appreciation for host nation and coalition forces' cultures, customs, and professional military procedures.