Connecting the dots. Prepositioning Ships conduct group sail off coast of Saipan. Another preparation for war?

Thanks to Lee for the link!

via Navy.mil

SAIPAN, Northern Mariana Islands (NNS) -- Maritime Prepositioning Ships Squadron THREE (MPSRON 3) successfully conducted an underway multi-ship training exercise, Group Sail, Aug. 2-3, off the coast of Saipan.

For the first time in 10 years MPSRON 3 conducted its largest successful multi-day Group Sail event with six preposition ships, the USNS 1st LT Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011), USNS 2nd LT John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008), USNS GYSGT Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017), USNS Pililaau (T-AKR 304), USNS Red Cloud (T-AKR 313) and USNS Soderman (T-AKR 317)

This demanding two-day exercise was used to train the ships in interoperability with other ships within the squadron, and used to prepare them to work with other U.S. Navy assets and escorts.

During the exercise the MPSRON ships executed close quarter turns, torpedo evasions tactics and formation steaming; they also used time to practice night time signal communications as well as working with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron TWO FIVE for night time deck landing qualifications.

While the purpose of this exercise was to prepare the squadron in tactical movement, it was also used as valuable training time for military staff of the squadron, who took the opportunity to improve their skills in command and control of multiple ships.

Story here. 

Nothing to see here.  Just a massive training exercise for our MPSRON Squadrons.  This isn't practice for an upcoming deployment.  They aren't getting ready to conduct real world ops.  Right?

I have no idea.  Thanks to alert readers I'm just gathering data points for all to consider so that we can catch glimpses of what's going on behind the scenes.  War prep?  You decide.  But this community will continue to try and piece together scraps of information to be ahead of the curve.