Navy Reserve Sailors from U.S. Fleet Forces, U.S. 2nd Fleet, and U.S. 4th Fleet with Adm. Karl Thomas, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, at the Navy Warfare Development Center in Norfolk, Virginia, for MAKO Challenge 2026 from Feb. 19-22. The MAKO series is designed to provide Reserve Sailors hands-on experience within the Operational Level of War environment including a Maritime Operations Center scenario. (U.S. Navy photo by Ian Delossantos)

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Navy Reserve Sailors from U.S. Fleet Forces, U.S. 2nd Fleet, and U.S. 4th Fleet at the Navy Warfare Development Center in Norfolk, Virginia, for MAKO Challenge 2026 from Feb. 19-22. The MAKO series is designed to provide Reserve Sailors hands-on experience within the Operational Level of War environment including a Maritime Operations Center scenario. (U.S. Navy photo by Ian Delossantos)

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MAKO Challenge is an annual training event designed to provide Reserve Sailors with a laboratory-like hands-on experience of fighting from a Maritime Operations Center. The exercise simulates an operational-level-of-war environment, preparing reservists to seamlessly integrate with their active-duty counterparts in a potential conflict.

Four separate events constitute an annual MAKO exercise series that are rapidly honing the warfighting readiness of more than 1,000 Reserve Sailors each year, with MAKO Challenge training nearly 250 Reserve Sailors.

Adm. Karl Thomas, commander of USFFC, joined and addressed the training audience their first day, emphasizing the exercise's critical role in modern naval readiness.

"The MAKO series is vital to our fleet's readiness, providing our Reserve Sailors with the hands-on training necessary to operate seamlessly within our Maritime Operations Centers. In today's complex security environment, our ability to achieve decision advantage depends on a force that can synthesize vast amounts of information and act decisively,” said Thomas. “Exercises like MAKO Challenge ensure that our Active and Reserve team receive the reps and sets, learn the systems, build the processes, while forging trust to build the warfighters needed to outthink and outmaneuver any adversary across all domains of naval warfare."

Participants directly contribute to each Fleet and the Navy's overall readiness, as MOC effectiveness remains dominant in Navy leadership’s decision-making for defending U.S. national interests.

Chief Electrician’s Mate Elizabeth Logue, who served as the assistant battle watch captain for the U.S. 2nd Fleet MOC team, highlighted the value of the training.

"MAKO Challenge was an amazing real-time training environment where everything can and will go wrong on watch, but we still have time to learn, talk through challenges, and find the right path forward from the MOC," said Logue.

The MAKO exercise series is an ongoing training evolution, providing continued opportunities for the Navy Reserve force to sharpen their skills and remain ready for the fight. Reserve members and units looking to be MOC qualified may contact the Commander Naval Reserve Forces Command MAKO core planning team to register for one of the remaining exercise events this year.