NWDC Hosts Groundbreaking Exercise to Boost Warfighting Readiness
05 August 2025
Norfolk, Va. --
The 2025 Large Scale Exercise (LSE) was a landmark event that united key military leaders with members of the Senate and Congress to observe firsthand the strategic planning and collaborative efforts shaping the future of our naval forces. These high-level engagements underscore the critical partnership between military leadership and policymakers in advancing readiness, innovation, and national security.
From July 30 to August 8, the Navy Warfare Development Center (NWDC) successfully hosted LSE 2025, a groundbreaking global maritime exercise involving thousands of Sailors and Marines. As the Navy’s premier hub for innovative warfighting concepts and operational development, NWDC orchestrated the most comprehensive exercise of its kind to rigorously test the Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to command and control forces across the full spectrum of conflict within a contested, high-end environment.
Using a globally integrated live, virtual, and constructive exercise model, NWDC facilitated complex, real-time simulated scenarios that enhanced interoperability, refined tactics, and strengthened collaboration across six combatant commands and multiple time zones. For the first time ever, all 10 Fleet Maritime Operations Centers (MOCs) operated simultaneously—synchronizing command and effects across 22 time zones—to replicate the friction and tempo of global conflict. This unprecedented scale provided invaluable operational-level experience, preparing forces to maintain sea lanes and protect global commerce in contested environments.
LSE 2025 also leveraged cutting-edge technology to create a highly realistic virtual environment that reflected the complex, evolving threats posed by strategic competitors. These dynamic scenarios tested Navy and Marine Corps systems, processes, and decision-making without the physical wear on ships, aircraft, or equipment.
Ultimately, Large Scale Exercise 2025 represents a critical step forward in advancing maritime warfighting concepts, strengthening global partnerships, and maintaining a strategic edge in contested environments worldwide. Through integrated operations, allied collaboration, and continuous innovation, NWDC and the Navy-Marine Corps team reaffirm their commitment to deterring aggression and ensuring security and stability across the world’s oceans.