JANUARY 23, 2026 – From January 26 to February 6, 2026, Navy installations across the continental United States will participate in the annual Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain (CS-SC26) exercise. Conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC), this two-week exercise is a cornerstone of the Navy’s commitment to generating a combat-ready fleet prepared to defend the homeland and prevail in conflict.
“Force protection is everyone’s responsibility whether in competition or crisis, and Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain is a critical test of our preparedness and responsiveness,” said Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command. “This exercise tests more than just our security forces, and is a measure of our entire force to say something if they see something, an opportunity to flex our command and control structure, and validates that our platforms and people are ready to respond decisively against a variety of threats.”
CS-SC26 is designed to forge warfighters and ready our platforms for a complex security environment. The exercise begins with Citadel Shield, a field training exercise led by CNIC that focuses on the readiness and response of Navy Security Forces. It is followed by Solid Curtain, a command post exercise spearheaded by USFFC that integrates command-and-control elements to synchronize the Fleet’s response to threats against shore-based infrastructure. Together, these events test and validate the Navy’s ability to deter and respond to threats in real-time.
As in past exercises, the training will improve defenses against improvised explosive devices, small unmanned aerial systems, and active shooter threats to name a few. This year’s exercise, however, has been enhanced to prepare installations to defend against modern and emerging threats. Scenarios will emphasize operational protection, surveillance detection, protection of critical infrastructure, and response to potential kinetic attacks, which aim to strengthen commanders’ understanding of risks to respond to real-world events quickly and effectively.
The exercise will also execute the Ashore Navy Security Operations Exercise Program (NSOXP), which will enhance threat detection from both land and sea. The NSOXP is a structured training system providing commanders with standardized force protection scenarios and evaluation tools to assess watch standers and small units, ensuring readiness for real-world threats.
The exercise scenarios are designed to be both realistic and challenging, testing the seamless interoperability between Navy commands, other military services, and our essential municipal agency partners.
“Our forces must adapt faster than our adversaries,” said Vice Adm. Scott Gray, commander, Navy Installations Command. “By realistically simulating complex threat environments, we ensure our Navy security forces and partners are forged into a unified, all-domain team. This training is critical to protecting our people, our infrastructure, and the Fleet’s ability to project power from a secure home front.”
Citadel Shield-Solid Curtain is a regularly scheduled training event, not a response to any specific threat. Its purpose is to ensure the Navy is ready to fight and win, anywhere, anytime.
While the exercise may lead to some increased traffic or minor delays in base access, every effort is made to minimize disruptions to local communities. Residents near installations may observe or hear security-related activities. Local law enforcement and first responders have been coordinated with to ensure safety and smooth operations throughout the exercise.
For more details on any potential local impacts, residents are encouraged to visit their respective Navy installation’s website and social media channels.
For more information on U.S. Fleet Forces or Navy installations,
visit the USFF website at https://www.usff.navy.mil or the CNIC website at https://www.cnic.navy.mil.
You can also follow them on Facebook and X at www.facebook.com/usfleetforces, www.twitter.com/usfleetforces, www.facebook.com/navyinstallations, and https://twitter.com/cnichq.