Last week, 2nd Fleet held a couple of media events revolving around the Black Widow exercise which highlighted the evolving approach to anti-submarine warfare.

And those two media events and comments made associated with regard to the Black Widow exercise highlight a number of key questions and dynamics associated with the reshaping of ASW leveraging 21st technologies, skill sets and warfighting approaches up against 21st century threats.

The point can be put simply: even though ASW is about tracking, finding and potentially destroying underwater threats, what is being practices is not yesterday’s ASW skill sets against the Soviet Navy.

Let us start first with the opening statement by Vice Admiral Andrew Lewis, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet.

One must remember that 2nd Fleet was re-established in 2018.

In his opening remarks to the media roundtable on September 16, 2020, Vice Admiral Lewis highlighted the importance of the Black Widow ASW exercise.

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, thanks for being here to discuss Black Widow. As all of you are aware, U.S. 2nd Fleet was established to focus on high end operations in the North Atlantic and Arctic. That is precisely what we are doing in exercise Black Widow, and I could not be more pleased with the event thus far.

We are building the fleet of the future through Exercise Black Widow—for today’s fight requires a constant emphasis to develop grey matter as much as grey hulls. Competition in today’s environment demands we think differently, and that we attack old problem sets with new solutions.

Not only have our competitors changed, but the rules of the game have also changed. Multi-domain threats span the spectrum of conflict, and we need our warfighters to be ready with tactics and procedures sharp in their minds.

During Exercise Black Widow our forces will rehearse tactics, techniques and procedures to ensure our Navy maintains our undersea dominance.  Units participating include P8s, submarines, helicopters, and surface ships.

Each and every US Navy platform is anti-submarine warfare capable, including our amphibious ships like the participating USS Wasp (LHD 1).

This exercise will enhance the lethality of the fleet as one cohesive fighting force.  Advanced undersea warfare training opportunities like Black Widow improve multi-domain cooperation, maintain superior lethality in defense of the homeland, and ensure continued freedom of navigation throughout the Atlantic.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to talk about the recently re- established submarine group two, which is leading Black Widow. Alongside JFC Norfolk and U.S. 2nd Fleet, SUBGRUTWO adds a command element in the Atlantic, allowing the Navy and our Allies to finely tune out efforts in this resurgent battlespace and reinforce the critical trans-Atlantic link.

In today’s security environment it is imperative that our best warfighters be available at a moment’s notice to support operational commanders. Exercise Black Widow is an exercise for our warfighters to practice, develop, and evaluate new tactics and procedures to improve readiness for real world operations.  

The next day’s media event highlighted, the other hat worn by Vice Admiral Lewis, namely, Commander of Joint Force Command (JFCNF).

According to a story published by SHAPE Public Affairs:

MONS, Belgium – NATO’s newest operational command, Joint Force Command (JFC) Norfolk, officially reached initial operating capability (IOC) on Thursday, Sept 17, 2020 with an official ribbon cutting ceremony.

In reaching IOC, the JFC Norfolk commander determined that the command is ready to take on an initial set of tasks in accordance with the direction and guidance of NATO’s 30 member states.

“This ceremony marks a significant milestone in providing a new, crucial location and link to the Alliance, ultimately ensuring a 360-degree approach for our collective NATO defence and security,” said Vice Admiral Andrew Lewis, Commander of Joint Force Command Norfolk. He also serves as the Commander of U.S. Second Fleet.

Amongst the distinguished guests at the in-person ceremony were Admiral Chris Grady, commander, United States Fleet Forces, Vice Admiral P M Bennett, Chief of Staff, Supreme Allied Command Transformation and General Tod D. Wolters, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, who attended online and offered congratulations and support on this achievement.

“JFC Norfolk’s efforts are already delivering great coherence in our vigilance activities and the insightful work on DDA (Defence and Deterrence of the Atlantic area) alignment, and contributions to Allied Command Transformation’s war-fighting capstone concept, serve to maintain NATO’s advantage in competition, crisis and conflict,” said General Wolters.  

This new command is part of the Allied Command Operations structure and is headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. It will provide a U.S.-led, joint multi-national operational command, supported by component, Allied and partner commands, responsible for the North Atlantic, the High North, and adjacent littorals. It is the first NATO headquarters dedicated to the Atlantic since 2003. 

The North Atlantic Council (NAC), NATO’s highest decision making body, announced the activation of JFC Norfolk as a NATO military body on July 26, 2019 in order to increase NATO’s readiness across the Atlantic, strengthen the trans-Atlantic bonds with Allies and Partners, increase readiness to defend NATO’s Allies and Partners in the North Atlantic and High North, and ultimately, deter aggression from any potential adversaries. 

These two statements highlight a number of the changes underway, changes which we have focused on over the past few years, and will bring that work to bear on the key questions and dynamics.

We will address each of these questions in later articles in this series.

First, the shift from the role of the U.S. Navy in the land wars to high end conflict was highlighted.

In fighting the land wars, ASW skill sets were not the priority for the maritime force.

For example, the legacy air ASW asset, the P-3, which executed a concept of operations of “fighting alone and unafraid” was used in the land wars by the U.S .and its allies as an overland ISR asset.

A new kill web approach has been put in its place.

Second, “we are building the fleet of the future.”

Put bluntly, it is not simply recovering old skill sets; it is about shaping new ones.

Our time in Norfolk and at Jax Navy and Mayport have highlighted what that actually means.

The Vice Admiral highlighted that “we attack old problem sets with new solutions.”

Certainly, the discussions and interviews at NAWDC this Spring and Summer provide a significant understanding of what this simple phrase means.

Third, “Each and every US Navy platform is anti-submarine warfare capable, including our amphibious ships like the participating USS Wasp (LHD 1).”

This comment is direct but the shift underway in terms of reshaping how the fleet works and will work to provide for sea control and sea denial is under significant change.  

Fourth, the Vice Admiral referred to the defense of the homeland.

Because the exercise is in the North Atlantic, what is clearly being highlighted is the new Russian as opposed to Soviet threats from the sea.

How that threat is changing and is different from the Soviet period is a key dynamic which explains why the response being shaped must be “multi-domain” as highlighted by the Vice Admiral.

Finally, the Vice Admiral highlights the C2 piece and that “it is imperative that our best warfighters be available at a moment’s notice to support operational commanders.”

How to do this is really about how the functional nature of ASW warfare has been expanded to tap into the wider air-maritime community to deliver the desired lethal effect.

If we now turn to the NATO side of this, we are discussing what has been referred to as the “fourth battle of the Atlantic”.

Here the question is about how the U.S. and allied forces can deliver the kind of kill web combat effect which can leverage the coalition force to provide for escalation dominance.

Our visits to Canada, the UK, Norway, Finland, Denmark, France, and Germany provide significant insights into how this approach to shaping an integratable force able to work cohesively together is being worked.

And the key role in working the High North was highlighted as part of the tasking as well.

As mentioned earlier, we will deal with all of these key points in later articles in this series, but when it comes to the Black Widow point, we would like to go back to an interview which we did with the then head of N-98, Rear Admiral Moran, which focused on the coming of the new carrier class, the USS Ford.

In that 2013 interview, we noted: You are describing a carrier which can operate much more flexibly than a traditional carrier, and one which can become a central piece in a combat spider web, rather than operating at the center of a concentrated force.  Could you talk to the con-ops piece of this?

“Rear Admiral Moran:  The Ford will be very flexible and can support force concentration or distribution. And it can operate as a flagship for a distributed force as well and tailored to the mission set.

“When combined with the potential of the F35, FORD will be able to handle information and communications at a level much greater than the Nimitz class carriers.   People will be able to share information across nations, and this is crucial.  We call it maritime domain awareness, but now you’ve included the air space that’s part of that maritime domain.”

This discussion devolved later into the kill web concept of operations, but this concept is clearly at the heart of the new approach and skill sets for 21st century ASW.

That shift was highlighted in a recent interview which we conducted at Jax Navy, and the title of the article, really gets at the change: “O.K. I am a P-8 Operator: But How do I train to work in a kill web?”

The Black Widow exercise provides a venue where that question can be answered and worked.

Featured Photo: U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, Commander, Joint Force Command Norfolk (JFCNF), and Royal Navy Rear Adm. Andrew Betton, Deputy Commander, JFCNF, host a virtual ceremony to announce JFCNF’s Initial Operational Capability on Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, Virginia, Sept. 17, 2020.

JFCNF will deliver multinational and NATO joint effects, maintain readiness, protect the North Atlantic strategic lines of communication, deter aggression, contribute to NATO responsiveness, secure reinforcements and resupply, and if necessary project power to defend its Allies and Partners. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Joshua M. Tolbert

We have interviewed Rear Admiral Betton earlier during a UK visit:

Shaping the UK Carrier Strike Group: The Perspective of Commodore Andrew Betton and Col. Phil Kelly

Also, see the following:

Black Widow Exercise: Shaping a Way Ahead in Anti-Submarine Warfare

Recently, this year’s RIMPAC exercise concluded.

According to a press release from the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, public affairs, published on August 31, 2020:

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii – The international maritime exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020 concluded Aug. 31 following two weeks of at-sea-only training events conducted around the Hawaiian Islands. 

This year’s event included 53 replenishment-at-sea events, 101 pallets of cargo distributed, over 16,000 rounds of small arms munitions shot, over 1,000 large caliber weapons fired, 13 missiles expended, and 1,100 pounds of mail delivered.

Hosted by U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2020 was led by U.S. Vice Adm. Scott Conn, commander of the U.S. 3rd Fleet. 

“Our formidable team of capable, adaptive partners has spent the last two weeks demonstrating that we have the resolve and ability to operate together in these challenging times,” said Conn. “We strengthened relationships and deepened our sense of trust in one another. Each one of our navies has something to offer and that diverse range of knowledge and professionalism is what makes us stronger, and allows us to work together to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific and ultimately, our collective prosperity.”

This year’s exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United States. 

The at-sea-only construct for RIMPAC 2020 was developed to ensure the safety of all military forces participating, and Hawaii’s population, by minimizing shore-based contingents, while striking a balance between combating future adversaries and the COVID-19 threat. Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet crafted the modified RIMPAC plan as a way to conduct a meaningful exercise with maximum training value and minimum risk to the force, allies and partners, and the people of Hawaii.

This RIMPAC marks the first time a non-U.S. military woman, Capt. Phillipa Hay of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), led a RIMPAC task force of more than 2,500 Sailors.

“I would like to extend my sincere appreciation and thanks to all participating nations in RIMPAC 2020. Our mutual commitment toward a free and open Indo-Pacific will ensure unfettered open access to the seas and airways upon which our people and economies depend, now and into the future,” said Adm. John C. Aquilino, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet.

The biennial exercise contributes to the increased lethality, resiliency, and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict. The exercise provides a unique training opportunity that strengthens international maritime partnerships, enhances interoperability, and improves the readiness of participating forces for a wide range of potential operations. The relevant, realistic training program included multinational anti-submarine warfare, maritime intercept operations, and live-fire training events, among other cooperative training opportunities.

A Canadian Perspective

In an posting published by Front Line Defence on September 2, 2020, the Canadian role was highlighted by Ken Pole.

This year’s biennial two-week Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) has finished off with a bang. In fact, lots of bangs that resulted in the sinking of a ship.

Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) frigates HMCS Regina and Winnipeg were among 22 surface vessels from around the world, one submarine, and several aircraft, all conducting interdiction and anti-submarine warfare exercises as well as live-fire training for two weeks off Hawaii.

Each RCN ship deployed its Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopter several times, the first time they have been used in the unique training exercise, the largest of its kind in the world.

Unlike previous RIMPACs, the 2020 edition, with 500 Canadians among the approximately 5,300 personnel, was conducted entirely at sea due to concerns about COVID-19. It was the 27^th RIMPAC for Canadian Armed Forces personnel, who were involved in the inaugural exercise in 1971 along with Australian and U.S. forces.

In addition to the Canadians and host U.S. Pacific Fleet ships and personnel, the other participants were Australia, Brunei, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines and Singapore.

The RCN Commander, VAdm Art McDonald, pointed out that “Canadian security and prosperity rely increasingly on our relations in the Asia-Pacific,” adding that Canada’s long-standing participation “highlights our ongoing commitment to […] peace and stability in the region.”

An operational highlight, two days before RIMPAC 2020 concluded on 31 August, was the sinking under heavy fire of a decommissioned US Navy amphibious cargo ship, USS Durham, which was rendered environmentally safe for the SINKEX event.

The SINKEX ended shortly after midnight, courtesy of a Mk-48 torpedo fired by USS Jefferson, a Los Angeles-class attack submarine, as well as an AGM-114 Hellfire missile fired by a USN helicopter and two Harpoon AGM-84 surface-to-surface missiles, one of them from HMCS Regina.

“We gained invaluable training experience, improved our ability to operate in a coalition environment, proved key combat capabilities and fostered trust amongst allies and partner navies while ensuring the health and well-being of our sailors and aviators,” said the RCN Task Force Commander, Capt (N) Scott Robinson.

HMCS Regina’s weapons officer, Lt(N) Mike Vanderveer, said the SINKEX not only proved the frigate’s technical readiness but also was “an opportunity to focus on the application of force in coordinated kinetic action with partner nations.”

Harpoons are designed to travel at high subsonic speed, skimming the ocean’s surface to reduce the chance of interception by air defence systems. Using the over-the-horizon missile, which is widely deployed within NATO, is “a difficult and perishable skill,” Vanderveer said. “Any opportunity to plan and execute exercises with combined forces increases our skills, proficiency, and overall capability.”

RIMPAC provides a wide range of unique training opportunities that allow participating naval personnel to put their respective skill sets to the test.

Having completed RIMPAC 2020, the next phase of HMCS Winnipeg’s deployment will be participation in Operation Projection Asia-Pacific, which demonstrates Canada’s ongoing commitment to global peace and shows how the RCN is ready to defend Canada’s interests in the region.

Australia’s HMAS Hobart Participates in RIMPAC 2020

In an article published on August 27, 2020 by Lt. Commander Todd Fitzgerald of the Royal Australian Navy, the Hobart’s participation in the exercise was highlighted.

HMAS Hobart has become the first Hobart-class guided missile destroyer to conduct a live fire at Exercise Rim of the Pacific, making it the most sophisticated and lethal warship ever operated by the RAN.  

Alongside ships from the United States and Canada, Hobart successfully fired an SM-2 against an unmanned target as part of the exercise scenario.

Commanding Officer Hobart Commander Ryan Gaskin said the missile firing proved the ship was ready to fight and win at sea as part of a joint force.

“Rimpac provides Navy with a unique training opportunity to strengthen international maritime partnerships, enhance interoperability and improve our readiness for a wide range of potential operations,” Commander Gaskin said. 

“This year has also proven the ability to operate in company with partner nations at sea during a global health crisis through the employment of strict COVID-19 safe measures on board.”

HMA Ships Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius, which are on a Regional Presence Deployment through South-East Asia and the Pacific, are taking part in Rimpac. 

Commander Gaskin said credible, ready-maritime partners helped to preserve peace and prevent conflict in the region.

“The Indo-Pacific has experienced economic prosperity largely because of the security and stability that exists at sea,” he said. 

“We train to ensure the ability to deter disruptions to global supply chains and threats to lines of communication and commerce.”

Hobart carries a range of weapons systems, including an Mk41 Vertical Launch System containing SM-2 missiles and Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles, an Mk 45 5-inch main gun, Phalanx Close-In Weapons System, two 25mm Typhoon guns, and MU90 and Mk54 light-weight torpedoes for subsurface defence.

Ten nations, 22 surface ships, one submarine, multiple aircraft, and about 5300 personnel are participating at Rimpac.

This year’s exercise includes forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, and the United States.

Participating forces will exercise a wide range of capabilities from multinational anti-submarine warfare, maritime intercept operations, and live-fire training events, among other cooperative training opportunities.

ANZAC-Class Frigates at RiMPAC 2020

In an article by Lt. Commander Todd Fitzgerald published on August 31, 2020, the participation of HMAS Stuart in the exercise was highlighted as well.

The Royal Australian Navy has proven its warfighting capability with devastating effect at Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).

Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart successfully fired two Harpoon missiles and coordinated the missile firings of three other ships during one of RIMPAC’s best-known serials called the SINKEX, where participants sink a decommissioned warship.  

Two of the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm MH-60R Romeo helicopters embarked in HMA Ships Hobart and Arunta also fired Hellfire missiles during the training serial on August 29. 

Gunnery officer in Stuart, Lieutenant Naomi Muir, said live-fire training was critical to ensure Australia maintained a highly capable, agile and lethal fleet. 

“It is critical we test our systems to their full capacity,” Lieutenant Muir said, “not only to ensure we are familiar with how our systems operate but also how we operate those systems with other navies. 

“Simulation is a critical part of our training but there is nothing better than to conduct live-fire training to ensure our systems work effectively with other nations, and that our people know how to use them.”

Able Seaman Electronics Technician Callum Fox is the Fire Control Officer in Stuart, responsible for pushing the button that ultimately launches the missile.

AB Fox said Stuart had trained to fire the missile since leaving Australia in July.

“Events like these allow us to prove that we are capable of high-end warfare with allied nations. They also allow us to prove our systems and training, and prove to the Australian Government and public that we are a professional and capable navy,” he said.

Ten nations, 22 surface ships, one submarine, multiple aircraft, and about 5300 personnel have participated in RIMPAC this year.

Alongside HMA Ships Hobart, Stuart, Arunta and Sirius, the exercise has included forces from Brunei, Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and the United States.

Participating forces have exercised a wide range of capabilities including multinational anti-submarine warfare, maritime intercept operations and live-fire training events.

Featured Photo: PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 21, 2020) Multinational navy ships and a submarine steam in formation during a group sail off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2020, August 21. Ten nations, 22 ships, 1 submarine, and more than 5,300 personnel are participating in Exercise Rim of the Pacific from August 17 to 31 at sea around the Hawaiian Islands. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rawad Madanat)

By Major James Everett, Head of the Assault Support Department at MAWTS-1

The world has never been more connected. Or more volatile. Conflict and unrest are a pandemic, rising amid a wave of nationalism, autocratic rulers, religious fanaticism, and dwindling economic opportunity.

The vast majority of us grew up in a Fleet Marine Force that understood and constantly trained to fight the insurgencies that ripened in these uncertain environments. And we’ve become quite proficient at it. However, over the past fifteen years, threat of another Great Power Competition has grown quietly in the background.

The first overt signal came in 2014 when Russia invaded, and subsequently annexed, the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine, flexing its muscle in dramatic fashion for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

China has been less conspicuous, but its rise in influence poses the greater threat. Using its economy as a subtle national instrument of power, it has quietly expanded across the globe with symbiotic (if biased) relationships that allow it to leverage regional governments with the promise of economic support. Now, having been content to watch China’s rise and its concurrent development and maturation of a modern military, we are faced with a force of devastating potential.

This problem set is wildly different than anything that we, as planners and operators, have ever faced before.

So how do we, as Weapons and Tactics Instructors, prepare ourselves and our Squadrons for this fight?

With three techniques: brilliance in the basics, increased complexity of our tactical training, and an enhanced comfort with discomfort.

Brilliance in the Basics

This is an often-bandied phrase that sets great units apart from everyone else. It begins with scenario design, includes mentoring during the planning process, thorough briefing, purposeful execution, and detailed and constructive debriefing. Complacency is the enemy here. We, as instructors and leaders, cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from this process by our ground jobs—we must be all-in, all the time, and challenge everyone else in our unit to keep up. These fundamentals will ultimately be what lead us to success in the next conflict.

Increased Complexity of our Tactical Training

If we don’t increase the complexity of our tactical training, we will end up being very well prepared for the wrong fight. Over the past twelve months, the Fleet has made great strides in improving the quality of our scenarios: the integration of the MAG-29 S-2 shop with their squadrons has been particularly fruitful in this regard.

Here in Yuma, the Heavy Metal Division has leaned into the project with zeal….. Maj Zasadny Maj Charvet, and Maj Allen have worked diligently over the past four months to completely re-design the CH-53 WTI Specifics flight week into a Distributed Operations scenario that spans over 600 nautical miles and involves peer threat systems and realistic missions in a high-threat environment….

Enhanced Comfort with Discomfort

Finally, let’s get comfortable with discomfort. In June 2020, HMH-461 conducted a multi-day ADGR site that highlighted the utility, effectiveness, and resilience of the CH-53 and its aircrew. In the words of the XO, “Mongo” Horne: “It was awesome. . .but it was hot.”

This type of event is an outstanding example of a service that we can provide without any external support (the Ironhorse was, instead, providing support!). Their evolution mimics what we may be expected to do in the peer fight anywhere from INDOPACOM to Western Europe: depart the ship, land and ADGR, possibly RON, and meet the ship somewhere else all while minimizing emissions, possibly conducting HAAR, and remaining survivable within the enemy MEZ throughout.

Discomfort doesn’t just apply to the physical discomfort of the field either. It applies especially to us, the trainers, as we prepare to step outside of our comfort zones as we design training plans and scenarios.

Taking this uncomfortable step from the familiar COIN environment to the unfamiliar Peer Fight is essential in order to train ourselves and our Aircrew and to ensure that our Squadrons are ready to go forward and defend the Nation’s interests against any adversary in any place at any time.

Featured Photo: U.S. Marines with Company C, Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, wait to board an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 166, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, aboard the USS Essex (LHD 2), Oct. 23, 2017, during Exercise Dawn Blitz. Company C conducted an airfield seizure on San Clemente Island, California, as part of expeditionary advanced base operations training. Dawn Blitz 17 provides an opportunity to train Navy and Marine Corps counterparts in establishing scalable and agile expeditionary advanced bases capable of expanding littoral maneuver capabilities. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Roderick Jacquote)

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