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Technology Used to Develop Skills While Saving Resources at Sea

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030430-06
Release Date: 5/1/2003 8:00:00 AM

By Journalist 2nd Class Wes Eplen, Commander, Task Force 76 Public Affairs

ABOARD USS ESSEX, At Sea (NNS) -- The Expeditionary Strike Group-Forward Deployed Naval Force (ESG-FDNF) battle staff recently completed the first phase of joint exercise Tandem Thrust 2003, while aboard USS Essex (LHD 2).

In exercise Tandem Thrust, units of the U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines are working together off the coast of the Marianas Islands to train commanders and units in crisis action planning and contingency response. But well before any of these units moved into action, they were busy behind the scenes working through computer-simulated scenarios in order to save man-hours and resources, and to test new concepts.

The three-week "war game" exercise is separated into two parts. The first seven days, known as the Command Post Exercise (CPX), is dedicated to computer training and is followed by a Field Training Exercise (FTX), in which units conduct actual training operations.

"Essentially, we're fighting a war," said Commander, Task Force 76 Quartermaster 1st Class Jeffery Sillery. "We are given certain scenarios, and we do whatever we need to in that situation. A lot goes with each scenario," Sillery added, "including getting the ships where they need to go, launching helicopters and landing craft, or developing an entire amphibious landing plan."

Fighting a computer-simulated war, the naval component faces such diverse scenarios as missile launches, amphibious landings, special operations insertions, noncombatant evacuation operations and the interception of smuggling vessels.

During the CPX, units of the naval component go through every step of the process for these scenarios, from the planning and coordination stage to issuing orders for action.

The value of that computer training cannot be overestimated. Tandem Thrust '03 is a large-scale exercise for the maritime component, with 17 ships and submarines participating, including an aircraft carrier and an amphibious ready group (ARG). Among those naval forces, new concepts like the ESG-FDNF, which integrates an amphibious ready group with cruiser, destroyer and submarine assets, are being tried and developed. Utilizing technology to begin that process saves resources, as well as manpower.

"That's why the CPX performs such a valuable function. It allows us to test our plans and policies, and develop our tactics, techniques and procedures so we have a road map before we go into the FPX," said Master Chief Fire Controlman Mike Lutman, 7th Fleet assistant Tomahawk officer and ESG launch area coordinator.

The roles Sailors play in these often unseen, unglamorous evolutions are the building blocks that develop many of the field training exercises that keep American forces proficient and alert.

"My part is relatively small." Sillery said. "Essentially, what I help with is database management, system overlays and making sure we maintain good connectivity. I'm really here as sort of an operational picture expert. When they want to inject things into the game as far as moving ships or putting overlays in so that everyone can see what we're doing, that's where I come in."

But these small individual roles are invaluable. These Sailors are doing more than maintaining readiness. Working quietly behind the scenes, they are helping develop and guide future naval procedures.

"In Tandem Thrust, the ESG is an experiment," said Cmdr. Ulysses Zalamea, ESG assistant operations officer. "We are trying to develop innovative ways of employing the ESG within this force. Traditionally, we have a three ship ARG with the MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit) onboard. Now what we are trying to do is add some capabilities to the ARG. By adding 3 surface ships, a cruiser and two destroyers, and a submarine, now we have strike capability."

For developing new concepts like the ESG, the computer portion of exercise Tandem Thrust '03 is crucial.

"That's the very crux of the CPX," Lutman said, "to run the scenarios and see how all these elements are working together and find out just what it takes to make this work. During the FPX, we will actually have ships playing. They will be maneuvering and acting on specific guidance that we used during the CPX. And then we'll go from there."