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Port Hueneme Division Provides Fleet Support During Operation Iraqi Freedom

NAVSEA News

25 April 2003

By NSWC Port Hueneme Division Public Affairs

PORT HUENEME, Calif. -- In support of recent operations in Iraq, a team from Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division used a form of distance support to provide technical assistance to the Fleet.

Port Hueneme Division's Tomahawk team monitored the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) SIPRNET chat rooms of the Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Fleets.

Team members included Tomahawk senior engineers, junior professional engineers from every discipline within the Land Attack Department, Tomahawk Fire Controlmen and Ship's Weapon Engineering Facility lab staff.

This effort, directed by managers of the Land Attack Department's Readiness Branch in concurrence with the TLAM Weapon Control System sponsor PMA-282, began on February 24 with two-hour watches daily and was later expanded to provide support 24 hours a day, seven days a week when Operation Iraqi Freedom began.

During the monitoring, Port Hueneme Division hardware and systems engineers provided technical assistance to Sailors at sea as concerns, questions, and anomalies have been encountered.

Providing this kind of distance support is one of the things that Port Hueneme Division does best in its role as In-Service Engineering Agent for combat and weapon systems.

"During this time of conflict, it was our contribution to support the Fleet technically from a shore facility," said FC1(SW) Damon E. Northcutt, a member of the Land Attack Department who provided TLAM assistance.

The Fleet raised several issues, ranging from minor procedural questions and requests for documentation, to major safety and operational issues. Most questions were resolved immediately through chat room interaction with follow-ups via email and telephone.

In addition to responding to issues raised by the entire TLAM community, the Tomahawk engineers' 24/7 watch has provided immediate access to Port Hueneme Division's expertise covering a wide variety of weapon systems disciplines. This specialized round-the-clock assistance during time of war has become a necessity, enabling the Fleet to be combat ready at all times.