2017-08-20 By Ed Timperlake and Robbin Laird

The past decade prioritized the land wars, and the Navy along with the Air Force have provided key elements of support and engagement in the support of the ground forces.

With the growing threat from competitors who would engage in high tempo and higher end operations, the Navy along with the Air Force is focusing more intently on the high-end fight.

For the US Navy, this means in part ensuring the safety, security and performance of the fleet against threats in the maritime domain to enable the fleet to support multi-domain operations.

During our visit to NAWDC, we had a chance to sit down with officers from two elements of NAWDC which would seem at first blush quite different from one another, but in the evolving high end fight and the return of key concerns for effectiveness in at sea operations, actually are.

We interviewed LT Chris “Cathy” Eckel and LT Alicia “New Girl” Willms from N-8 which is a department focused on rotary wing tactics and employment, LT Kirby “TK” Myers who was wearing  Silent Service “Dolphins” from N20, which is a department which focuses on TLAMs and their integration into air operations.

According to the US Navy, N-8 is described as follows:

Navy’s Rotary Wing Weapons School is composed of a staff of 25 pilots and aircrewmen who instruct the Seahawk Weapons and Tactics Instructor program; provide tactics instructors to fleet squadrons;  maintain and develop the Navy’s helicopter tactics doctrine via the SEAWOLF Manual; instruct the Navy’s Mountain Flying School; provide high-altitude, mountainous flight experience for sea-going squadrons; and provide academic, ground, flight, and opposing-forces instruction for visiting aircrew during Air Wing Fallon detachments.

According to the US Navy, N-20 is described as follows:

The Tomahawk Landing Attack Missile (TLAM) Department provides direct support to U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) in the development and standardization of tactics, techniques and procedures for the employment of the Tomahawk weapon system.  

In addition, TLAM provides training to the CVW, fleet, and joint commands on TLAM capabilities and strike integration

https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrsw/installations/nas_fallon/about/nawdc.html

The role of the rotary wing for the CAG is pretty clear-cut – it is primarily focused on ship defense.

And to do so, the Navy operates two helos, the Romeo and the Sierra to combine between them the sensors and missile payloads necessary to provide for close in and medium range carrier defense.

The dyad is worked with Romeo as the sensor rich aircraft and Sierra the weapons heavy strike asset and the interactions between them are designed to provide seamless ship protection and with the sensors and coms onboard links to other assets, which can provide for ship defense as well.

“Both are H-60 helicopters. But the 60 Romeo is a sensor rich aircraft.

“The Romeo has ESM, RADAR, interrogators, all things that make it a very, very good coordination and reconnaissance type platform.

“In contrast, the Sierra carries guns, equipment, and various missiles to provide the strike punch for the dyad.”

ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 25, 2017) An MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the “Nightdippers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, transfers a harbor pilot on the flight deck aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) prior to pulling into Naval Station Norfolk. Truman returned to Naval Station Norfolk following the successful completion of a 4-day sea trials evolution. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Rebekah Watkins/Released)

“The advantage of the Romeo is that the crew can actually manage the maritime picture, and direct aircraft in different places and different sectors, and provide a significant amount of SA to the strike group, particularly the high value unit like the aircraft carrier.

“The Sierra can do that to a much, much lower extent.

“But the advantage of the Sierra is that it is a significantly lighter helicopter, so there can be a lot more weapons/equipment in the air to be used by one of these platforms.

“The way the helicopters work together now is relatively efficient.

“I would like to have two or three Romeos in the fight, somewhere, with all of their sensors turned on, and providing all that SA, but have several Sierras that have lot of weapons in the air, if I need them.”

“The Romeo is a heavier airframe.

“So if I can have one or two helicopters configured for anti-submarine warfare, and then one that is just a sensor platform, I can have multiple Sierras that carry a lot of weapons because they have the extra weight to do that, the extra power to do that.

“Then, I have a lot of assets in the air to direct and coordinate depending on the strike mission.”

As the Fire Scout is currently being worked with the S-60 into a composite detachment onboard the LCS, it is anticipated that Fire Scout or a UAS capability will become part of the rotor wing providing for ship defense at some point in the future.

https://sldinfo.com/shaping-a-manned-unmanned-isrstrike-capability-at-sea-the-case-of-the-fire-scout-and-the-mh-60s/

And as off boarding of weapons strike grows in significance and capability sensors onboard the rotorcraft can be leveraged by other elements of the strike force for the ship defense or perhaps other missions.

With regard to TLAMS, their role has been significant in providing for a land attack capability.

And as a submariner, Lt. Myers is working integration with the CAG as part of the extended reach of the airwing.

Indeed, a key function of TLAMS for the aviation community has been the destruction of enemy capabilities threatening the ability of the air wing to operate in contested environments.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (April 7, 2017) The guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 7, 2017. Ross is forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, and is conducting naval operations in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Robert S. Price/Released)

“Tomahawk is a very integral part of strike warfare.

“I need to essentially be the day zero weapon that allows for attack air to dominate the air.

“Before that, we need to get rid of certain things in the way.

“Attack air is not going to be able to fly through certain surface to air missile sites without serious investment.

“My job, I feel, is to protect people.

“I want to set the battle space so that all of the aviators out there can fly safely.”

The current TLAMS are GPS enabled and largely focused on fixed targets but the evolution of the systems onboard the TLAM will allow for greater in flight repositioning and significant improvements against electronic magnetic threats.

The TLAMs and follow on weapons will form a key part of the enhanced capability of the fleet afloat to fit and win conflict at sea.

Put in other terms, TLAMS have been about land operations; now with the shift to higher intensity operations the ability to defeat adversaries at sea is a key part of the way ahead, within which the weapons revolution needs to evolve to provide enhanced capabilities to the fleet to defeat an adversary afloat or using land and air assets to threaten the fleet.

Both officers emphasized the need to build up the inventory of weapons in the arsenal and viewed this as even more important than building new ones. 

Building new ones will take time, and although clearly important, the focus on fighting with the fleet you have now prioritizes an inventory build up for the current operating force.

The officers both highlighted as well that as you add new weapons, there is a time lag as well as the crews learn the capabilities and would like to see enhanced training capabilities and accelerated acquisition as well to ensure that new weapons can enter the force more rapidly.

But if presented with a choice between ramping up current weapons or waiting for new ones, the officers clearly weighed in on the former.

The officers discussed being able to support the fleet at sea if needed with the TTP capabilities at NAWDC.

“We have a fly away team.

“And a flyaway kit, so in the event in which they need subject matter experts to go to a CAOC and say, “Hey, what is the way that we can integrate TLAM into this fight?” We’re ready to go to provide that support.”

U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) practice vertical replenishment with a SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter during the Landing Signalman Enlisted course aboard Marine Corps Base Hawaii, May 10, 2017. The course provides the Sailors the skills they need to perform the tasks essential to flight deck operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt Ezekiel R. Kitandwe)

We concluded by discussing the dynamics of change in providing authorities at sea to deal with the new threat environment.

Notably, in the world of the past decade TLAMS are launched by a very high level of a command authority.

As weapons like TLAMS become important to providing dynamic protection to a fleet at sea, there clearly needs to be authority at sea to use weapons to ensure the security of the fleet.

If you are going to have distributed lethality, you certainly need organic defense to ensure the safety and performance of the engaged fleet.

Admiral Swift, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, and his team were working hard on the rethink on decision-making authorities.

According to Admiral “Hi Fi” Harris: “What authorities should reside where and when? They are driving towards mission command which is crucial to deal with evolving threats.”

In short, the refocus on high end warfare and the probability of confronting an adversary at sea is reflected in the thinking and training at NAWDC.

Editors Note: 

First, as always inventory levels and the ability to surge weapon production is becoming much more important in the National Command Authority shift focus from “slo-mo” war to preparing for high intensity combat. Mobilization becomes even more important in the recrafting of the US military for the decade ahead.

Second, the current visit to Australia also highlighted the key role which Admiral Swift played in the command post exercise part of Tailsman Sabre 2017 which involved shaping effective C2 and distribution of authorities in a contested battlespace as well.

Third, Raytheon and the Navy are closing on a deal to reshape the TLAMS for the maritime battle.

According to an article by USNI, published on August 16, 2017:

Navy, Raytheon Close to Finalizing Maritime Strike Tomahawk Missile Deal

2017-08-21 By Robbin Laird and Norman Polmar

Undersea warfare is becoming more complex as an increasing number of nations are operating submarines, advanced submarines and seafloor mines are being proliferated, and there are an increasing number of seafloor military and commercial activities world wide. Thus, there are increasing demands for navies to have enhanced capabilities to carry out surveillance to support anti-submarine warfare, mine countermeasures, general surveillance, and “special missions” in the depths.

Further, because of the need for rapid-reaction to crises and the varied ocean operating environments, these surveillance capabilities must be deployable by surface ships and small craft, submarines, and aircraft, especially helicopters. This situation must be met by advanced, flexible, and highly capable sensor platforms.

Lethal Threats

Mines are major threats to warships as well as commercial shipping. According to mine warfare analyst Dr. Scott Truver. “Enemy mines caused  massive numbers of U.S. ship losses in the last century, during both wars and crises,” he explained. “During the late 1980s and early 1990s a U.S. guided missile cruiser, a large helicopter assault ship, and a frigate were heavily damaged by mines in the Arabian Gulf­­,” Truver recalled. “

And many more vessels were mine victims during the ‘tanker war’ in the Gulf .” While potential enemies also have anti-ship missiles and torpedoes to threaten ships, “mines can be quickly and surreptitiously laid by surface ships—including simple junks, fishing boats, and other coastal craft—submarines and aircraft.”

“Indeed,” Truver underscored, “the U.S. Navy’s experience underscores the lethality of the threat. Of the 19 U.S. Navy ships that have been seriously damaged or sunk by enemy action since the end of World War II, 15–nearly 80 percent––were mine victims.”

Potential American adversaries are estimated to have on the order of 236,000 naval mines––China has upwards of 80,000, Iran 6,000, North Korea about 25,000, and Russia more than 125,000. The global mine order of battles in 2017 totals about a million sea mines of more than 400 types in the inventories of more than 50 navies (including the U.S. Navy) worldwide.

This array of threats coupled with other beneath-the-surface missions demand advanced underwater surveillance and detection systems. Potential non-military missions include monitoring and surveying seafloor areas for underwater structures, pipelines, etc.

The SAMDIS Solution

Advanced Acoustic Concepts, a DRS/Thales joint venture based in the United States, has devised SAMDIS––Synthetic Aperture and Mine Detection Imagery Sonar––a system with multiple capabilities that can be rapidly deployed to provide the underwater “big picture.”

Having also developed shipboard hull-mounted sonars, variable-depth sonars, and a fully automated drone launch and retrieval system, the firm has devised SAMDIS primarily to be deployed from unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), i.e., the so-called “ghost fleet.”

However, the system in a towed configuration with a different form factor called T-SAM (Towed-SAMDIS) can be deployed from unmanned surface vessels, and it can be deployed and towed in seas up to sea state four.

The SAMDIS multi-aspect AN/ASQ-series sonar currently provides the only technology that can detect and classify sonar echoes in a single sweep and can collect bathymetry and seafloor imagery simultaneously.

With respect to mine countermeasures, the operational benefit is considerable, particularly when the goal also is to define the type of device required to destroy the mine. The SAMDIS system provides a unique capability for multi-aspect processing of ultra-high-resolution synthetic aperture sonar capability. This multi-aspect photography capability enables it to simultaneously examine an object on the seabed from three different viewing angles, hence greatly increasing the search rate.

It also is able to provide for single-sweep detection and determination for on-the-fly, real-time intelligence of the seabed. And, SAMDIS can produce images with far better resolution and contrast than the previous generation of sonar imaging technology currently in use today by many Navies.

This maximizes detection and classification effectiveness, minimizing the number of false alarms—one of the major challenges of mine-detection systems—SADMIS users will be able detect and, if necessary, clear mines more rapidly than with older methods.

While mine countermeasures is a concern of many allied nations, SADMIS also has direct value in several other areas of undersea warfare and surveillance operations such as “intelligence preparation” of the environment.

Real-World Experience

SAMDIS has been in production for four years and is in operational service with several allied nations. In particular, Britain and France employ SADMIS in their joint mine countermeasures program. The system is software upgradable, which means that experience with the now deployed and operational systems can easily provide data for software upgrades of contemporary as well as future versions.

Also, because SAMDIS is platform agnostic and scalable, it can be deployed on a variety of current and future platforms. Although especially configured for deployment from unmanned underwater vehicles, it can be deployed from unmanned surface vehicles. These could be hosted by the U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ships (LCS) or other naval or commercial ships of opportunity.

In October 2016, GPS World reported on the results the multinational Unmanned Warrior exercise. “These systems can help protect our Sailors and Marines from some of the Navy’s dull, dirty and dangerous missions, like mine countermeasures,” according to the U.S. Chief of Naval Research Rear Admiral Mat Winter. “Additionally, these systems can increase our capabilities at a more affordable cost of the conventional systems we currently employ.”

The “Ghost Fleet”

In February 2017, Defense News reported that the Navy was working to develop quickly a “ghost fleet” of numerous surface, air and undersea drones that would synchronize a wide-range of combat missions without placing sailors and Marines at risk. Captain Jon Rucker, program manager for unmanned maritime systems in the LCS program outlined top-level requirements: “We want to have multiple systems teaming and working together, surface, air and undersea.”

Rucker explained that the Pentagon and the Navy are advancing this drone-fleet concept to search and destroy mines, swarm and attack enemies, deliver supplies and conduct, reconnaissance and surveillance missions, among other tasks. These capabilities could operate in a combat environment with little or no human intervention after being programmed for the specific role.

Defense News noted that the Navy’s Office of Naval Research has been working closely with the Defense Department’s Strategic Capabilities Office to fast track this technology into an operational service.

Dr. William Roper, the DOD capabilities director, explained that much of this effort involves merging new platforms, weapons, and technologies with existing systems in a way improves capability while circumventing a lengthy and often bureaucratic formal acquisition process.

For example, USVs and UUVs configured for MCM search, detect, localize, classify, identify, and neutralize/exploit tasks could take advantage of the “off-the-shelf” SAMDIS system, which already has been demonstrated in Navy tests. In addition to autonomous operations by a UUV with SAMDIS, a tow-configured SAMDIS could deploy from the in-development Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV).

And in that regards the Arctic is an area of growing interest. UUVs equipped with SAMDIS can have a key role in helping the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct its missions in this vital economic, security and defense area of interest. As Admiral Paul Zukunft, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant, explained: “It would make sense for UUVs to be part of the Coast Guard’s future, and we would start with the Arctic as a key area for such operations, to gain enhanced situational awareness in the region.”

A True Breakthrough

SAMDIS represents a true breakthrough in mine countermeasures, a sector that previously was the exclusive preserve of specialized minecraft with hull-mounted sonars and dedicated mine-hunting helicopters.  The system provides a new approach to undersea warfare, particularly MCM, permitting a variety of platforms to employ SAMDIS to give an almost holistic picture of the seabed area.

This could be particularly significant in coastal areas, where there are seafloor wrecks and other objects that could confuse other acoustic systems.

The Advanced Acoustics/Thales team looks to have an affordable, effective solution for defeating our adversaries’ mines in some future crisis or conflict. U.S. Navy demonstrations and tests have confirmed SAMDIS operational capabilities, while four allied navies have also reported meeting operational requirements.

“A mine is a terrible thing that waits,” Dr. Truver reminds us. With SAMDIS the U.S. Navy needs to wait no longer for cost-effective and proven underwater sensors for mine countermeasures and other important undersea warfare tasks.

2017-08-17 By Edward Timperlake and Robbin Laird

When we were last at Fallon in 2014, we had a chance to talk to the officers involved in the last phase of training prior to going to the Carrier, namely what they call Air Wing Fallon. Naval Air Station Fallon is known as the “carrier in the desert” and Air Wing Fallon is the final or pre-deployment phase of training down on the Carrier to the desert as the CAG deploys to the carrier at sea.

During that visit we discussed Air Wing Fallon with CDR (S) Jayson “Plato” Eurick, Air Wing Training Officer, at Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Fallon Naval Air Station.

Training is about getting ready for deployment and supporting deployment, which is certainly a broad concept of training.

“We ensure that they (the air wing) get up to speed on all of the information that is currently taking place in theater.

“We don’t train Air Wing Fallon for a specific theater or country, we give them a broad brushed training, but we ensure that they get the information that is coming directly back from the guys overseas, in this case, the USS Bush.

“And then we train them.”

https://sldinfo.com/the-usn-combat-learning-cycle-prepare-an-air-wing-for-deployment-while-supporting-one-deployed/

During this visit we discussed the Air Wing Fallon phase of training with Commander “Humble” Pritchard, Lt. Chris “Reek” Neidemeyer and Lt. Neal “Shaky” Dunn.

The officers represent a cluster of experience with CDR Pritchard having more than 830 “cats and traps,” Neidemeyer just back from his first fleet tour and Lt. Dunn just back from deployment with VFA-103 “the Jolly Rogers” based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

The responsibility of N-5 which these officers represented is identified as follows by the US Navy.

N5:  Responsible for training Naval aviation in advanced Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) across assigned combat mission areas at the individual, unit, integrated and joint levels, ensuring alignment of the training continuum; to set and enforce combat proficiency standards; to develop, validate, standarize, publish and revise TTPs. 

Also provides subject matter expertise support to strike group commanders, numbered fleet commanders, Navy component commanders and combatant commanders; to lead training and warfighting effectiveness assessments and identify and mitigate gaps across all platforms and staffs for assigned mission areas as the supported WDC; and collaborates with other WDCs to ensure cross-platform intergration and alignment.

 https://www.cnic.navy.mil/regions/cnrsw/installations/nas_fallon/about/nawdc.html

During our last visit to Fallon, the readiness challenged was highlighted as a growing problem.

This visit to Fallon highlighted the reality of what readiness shortfalls meant.

And the importance of this challenge is heightened as potential adversaries ramp up their capabilities and training time as well.

“You would read about potential adversaries and they’re flying 120 hours a year.

“You’d sit there and go that’s ridiculous.

“Who survives on 120 hours a year?

“We do that now.

“I don’t think anybody trains like us, and I think in a high end fight, they will not be able to keep up with the level of professionalism and the quality of people we’ve got, but I’m going to assume they can until proven otherwise.”

Put in simple terms, the Navy goes through a series of training cycles.

If fully equipped and funded for each phase of the training cycle, then all the training tasks can be accomplished and when the aviator moves to the next phase they do not need to learn tasks which they should have learned earlier.

But because of readiness shortfalls, the catch up in each phase of training has become a regular challenge.

This means that at Air Wing Fallon, some of the skills which should have been learned earlier need to be caught up in the pre-deployment phase of training.

It is obviously important that this challenge be met and rectified.

Air Wing Fallon prepares as the earlier quote indicates the CAG for a variety of settings and scenarios, not just what currently deployed CAGs are facing and doing.

And to do this they involve external assets with which the CAG will operate as well.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA (June 14, 2013), an F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the Jolly Rogers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 103 approaches the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) for an arrested recovery

For the non-naval aviator, the way to think about is that the CAG works its relationship with organic carriers assets, such as with the strike aircraft, Growlers onboard and Hawkeyes.

This part of the concentrate circle expands as the reach of the air wing is extended by its ability to work with assets external to the carrier.

Air Wing Fallon provides training for working with non-organic assets which will vary in terms of what is available and present at Fallon during Air Wing Fallon training.

But obviously as technology evolves and new platforms being added such as P-8s, Tritons, F-35s, etc. the external reach of the carrier is expanded as well.

“The concern that we have is making sure that the CAG is prepared for all contingencies, which is why we have a wide scope when it comes to what we put them through, and in addition, we’ve incorporated realistic scenarios, so they know how painful the real world is going to be.

“They need to learn to use off board and on board systems.

“They need to learn how to work with the E2 or the AWACS to be able to put the puzzle together to figure out if the ROE is met and staying within the allowable threat level or risk level.”

With the evolution of the threat, training needs to evolve as well.

There clearly is a need to work in a “dark environment” where jamming is a key threat and challenge.

There is a need to leverage the digital battlefield and to change procedures allowing for faster upgrades to the data in the strike force to ensure that stovepiped security arrangements block the combat aviators from having the data they need to prevail in the digitally informed battlespace.

This is a particular challenge onboard the carrier, as the crews need to build their own data and crypto loads.

The coming of the F-35 will accentuate this challenge and will need to be solved to ensure that the CAG gets full value out of an information superiority strike asset.

In short, there is a clear need to align security, data flows and sustainment approaches with the evolving CAG and its ability to work with external assets.

“How we acquire, how we sustain, and how we secure our forces needs to work and be aligned for an integrated, high intensity warfare enabled force.

“This is a key challenge which must be met to prevail in combat”

Editor’s Note:

One of the critical advances in the coming together of many 21^st Century technological advances is the exponential growth in ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) is a critical component of a countries military battle planning and execution, and that can be a very good thing.

However, what we picked up at Fallon builds on some of the comments we heard in our visit to the Navy Jax, P-8, Triton community.

To put it in our words the “mechanics” of getting actionable timely intelligence to the aircrews and Fleet commanders is often a weak link. The “Intel” can be there but the process is often not helpful. It can be both a macro issue and a micro issue.

On a “macro” level there is a move to send “Intel” up first to higher command then back down. This challenge was discussed at Jax Navy in the context of declaring Triton ocean surveillance information part of a national strategic collection effort. Of course it is an easy solution to let the Intel flow both up and down concurrently.

Hopefully this is in work toward a successful resolution.

On a “micro” level with the advent of much more advanced classified com/crypto links the combat aircrew must have the latest way to receive the Intel during the battle. This can take effort pre-take off.

It is a potential leadership issue to ensure the correct balance is struck between preparing the air wing for combat and the actual warriors who are flying into harms way.

In the Vietnam War and also Cold War “hot scrambles” the fear of the Intel community was to not release all electronic signal counter measures because they thought it important to keep some capabilities in reserve for the possibility of a US/USSR strategic engagement.

Often times that attitude in those years was sarcastically discussed as the activity of having a “squirrel mentality” in burying Intel. It required leadership at all times to keep the appropriate balance between the combat warriors and support functions.

When missiles are flying and people and platforms are dying, the function of all the shooters in the Fleet to bring weapons on is the difference between winning and losing and life and death.

Getting the most significant information to the combat crews in a timely manner is everything.

Everything else is, to paraphrase the “Red Barron,” Manfred Von Richthofen, “rubbish.”

2017-08-16 By Robbin Laird and Ed Timperlake

During our visit to NAWDC, we had a chance to talk with Captain Enfield, an experienced naval aviator with several tours of duty in Japan and Pete Milham, the NAWDC Technical Director.

We discussed with them the evolution of NAWDC to build out capabilities to work within an expanded battlespace and to drive the process of enhanced integration of the air enabled naval force.

The senior leadership has suggested that the strategic goal of a distributed but integrated force is to be able to operate as a kill web.

The kill chain is a linear concept which is about connecting assets to deliver fire power; the kill web is about distributed operations and the ability of force packages or task forces to deliver force dominance in an area of interest.

It is about building in integration from the ground up so that forces can work seamlessly together through multiple networks, rather than relying on a single point of failure large network.

https://sldinfo.com/rear-admiral-manazir-in-australia-allied-convergence-on-the-kill-web/

https://sldinfo.com/the-deputy-chief-of-naval-operations-for-warfare-systems-look-at-the-way-ahead-rear-admiral-manazir-on-shaping-kill-webs/

But the kill web remains a concept if the technology and training do not translate into operational realities.

Most often, the technology is discussed in this context; but the training is crucial to shape a way for naval aviators to operate as animators of an integrated kill web.

“Doogie” is a very experienced combat aviator put his focus squarely on the need for vigilance and diligence to refocus the current acquisition process to always make sure “state-of-the art” technology is rapidly fielded and in the hands of warriors when it really matters.

“We have a very slow acquisition process.

“Other countries do not.

“Other countries are beginning to rival us with their intellectual capability.

“We must leverage ever more effective training for integrated operations and to develop the TPPs that allow us to prevail in combat.”

There are a number of tools being put in place to provide for the evolution of more effective integrated operations from the ground up or put another way, to train for operating as a kill web requires a new tool set.

This is a key task facing NAWDC.

Fallon is known as the Carrier in the Desert; but as the carrier and its role within the fleet evolve and encompass distributed lethality and the kill web, so must the Carrier in the Desert evolve.

It starts with the addition of two new buildings, which embrace the shift.

One building is to house the integrated air enabled force; the second houses the simulators that drive the process of their integration.

The first building, building P420, will house the integrated training effort.

“The entire building is a SCIF (Sensitized Compartmented Information Facility) at 55,000 square feet.

“We will have offices in there.

‘We will have auditoriums.

‘We will have classrooms.

‘We will have mission-planning rooms.

‘And the building will also house the spaces from which we monitor and control missions on the Fallon Range.

“We will be able to do all of our operations at the appropriate classification level for the entire air wing.”

The additional new building will house the simulators.

“Building P440, which is 25,000 square feet, will host initially the simulator devices for the integrated training facility.

150903-N-SS390-266 FALLON, Nev. (Sept. 3, 2015) F-35C Lightning IIs, attached to the Grim Reapers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, and an F/A-18E/F Super Hornets attached to the Naval Aviation Warfighter Development Center (NAWDC) fly over Naval Air Station Fallon’s (NASF) Range Training Complex. VFA 101, based out of Eglin Air Force Base, is conducting an F-35C cross-country visit to NASF. The purpose is to begin integration of F-35C with the Fallon Range Training Complex and work with NAWDC to refine tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) of F-35C as it integrates into the carrier air wing. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Darin Russell/Released)

“These include F-35, E-2D, Super Hornet, Growler, and Aegis.”

But this is a work in progress, as all simulators do not seamlessly connect, although this is a clear requirement going forward.

For example, “there is no MH-60R simulator that connects easily to other simulators.”

The software side is important as well as the simulators will be upgraded to the state of the fleet software for each platform and the different software builds resident in the fleet as well can be leveraged for each platform.

The software enablement of the new platforms clearly puts a premium on collocating code writers with operators and TTP writers, but this is a work in progress.

But to get the kind of on the fly kind of integration, which will enhance combat success, this transition needs to be made, executed and then evolved.

The ability to shape the virtual training environment is a key focus of attention and needs to be integrated prior to doing the much more difficult part, namely folding in the live aspect of a training mission.

In short, at NAWDC the team is a key part of shaping the way ahead to forge a maritime force able to operate as a kill web.

Editor’s note: The Navy is looking to expand the size of the training range.

Integrated ops training extends the need for larger range space for certain.

According to a September 2, 2016 article by Steve Timko, the Navy is looking to quadruple land for Fallon naval Air Station training.

FALLON, Nev. (KOLO)– The Fallon Naval Air Station will increase public land used for training by about four times to about 1,262 square miles under a proposal released this week.

The U.S. Navy is asking for an additional 604,789 acres and to renew the use of 202,859 acres. It scheduled seven meetings in Nevada to discuss the proposal, including Oct. 3 in Fallon and Oct. 4 in Reno.

The Navy said it began reviewing its training ability at the Fallon Naval Air Station in 2014.

“The analysis showed that the size of the Fallon Ranges severely restricts the types of weapons that can be used, which limits training realism and effectiveness,” it wrote. “These limitations leave aircrews and special operations forces unable to fully train, compromising their safety and success in combat.”

Newer aircraft require more training space, the Navy said. 

“The boundaries of the Fallon Ranges have not changed to accommodate for the capabilities of modern weapons,” the Navy wrote. “Modern weapons can reach targets at greater distances than ever before, but current range boundaries limit this type of training. Expanding the range boundaries would allow military personnel to train in a realistic, and in some instances 360-degree, combat scenario.”

So it is asking for additional land. Congress must sign off on expanding the land used by the base. It appears it will involve buying privately owned land, for which the Navy said it will offer fair-market price.

Churchill County Manager Eleanor Lockwood said the base, which has a good relationship with the county, first notified them of the proposal on Aug. 26. Churchill County commissioners are scheduled to formally review the proposal at its Sept. 21 meeting and they are expected to have it reviewed by Resource Concept Inc. of Carson City, which is under contract to the county to review these kinds of studies.

RCI is expected to help Churchill County understand impact the expansion has, Lockwood said. For example, what restrictions will be imposed on the land for recreation, ranching or mining. 

She called it the first major expansion of the military range.

Churchill County Commissioner Harry “Bus” Scharmann is looking forward to getting more information about the proposed expansion.

“We want to look at this closely,” Scharmann said. “The Navy and Churchill County have been good partners and we always try to work closely with them.”

According to the information provided by the Navy, the base contributed $517 million in economic activity in a three-county area in 2015 and had a payroll of $84 million.

“The base is huge. That’s how I put it,” Scharmann said. “Our economy centers around the Navy base and agricultural.

“In my mind, in the last seven years when we have had a drought and a slowdown in the economy, the thing that has been a major stabilizing factor has been the Navy base,” Scharmann said.

http://www.kolotv.com/content/news/US-Navy-wants-to-quadruple-land-it-uses-for-Fallon-Naval-Air-Station-training-392227141.html