Mission Statement - Exercise SOUTHERN STRIKE (SSTK) operates across multiple domains throughout the Southeastern United States; maximizing combat readiness through integrated, tailored, joint, and coalition scenarios based on current global crises.
Focus/Intent - Tactical level exercise integrating conventional, allied, and Special Operations Forces (SOF). SSTK encourages decentralized execution allowing a high degree of mission command from planning through execution.
SSTK is a joint force exercise hosted by the Mississippi Air National Guard (ANG) at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center (CRTC). The CRTC mission is to provide Special Warfare Airmen (SWA) a unique cross domain training venue that enables global combat effectiveness. SSTK is a tactical level exercise integrating conventional, allied, and SOF. SSTK embraces direct support, encourages decentralized execution, and allows a high degree of mission command from planning through execution.
SSTK is a National Guard Bureau (NGB), Title 32 funded, Joint National Training Accredited (JNTC), tactical exercise program. NGB/A2/3/6YR provides budgeting oversight of the program. The CRTC Joint Exercise Control Group (JECG) manages the scheduling of exercise planning events and execution of the program. The JECG is comprised of military and civilian personnel with extensive SOF experience.
Persistent training audience participants represent Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR), Close Air Support (CAS), Intra-Theater Airlift, Tactical Airlift (fixed wing and rotary), Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Personnel Recovery (PR), Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR), Turbo Distribution (TD), United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Forces, International Forces, and Aeromedical Evacuation (AE).
SSTK provides tactical level integration between SWA, SOF, and conventional forces within asymmetric scenarios based on current global crises. Exercise scenarios are developed to fit participant’s self-identified training objectives. Participants collaboratively build full mission profiles throughout the planning stages of the Joint Event Life Cycle (JELC). SSTK applies joint and combined war fighting doctrine against realistic and robust enemy integrated threat systems, under safe and controlled conditions.
The exercise is executed within a battle space facilitating Air-to-Air, Air-to-Ground, Maritime, Riverine, and SOF profiles using the training venues of Gulfport CRTC, Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center (CSJFTC), John C. Stennis Space Center, and WHODAT Military Operating Area (MOA) over the Gulf of Mexico.