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High Speed Vessel SWIFT Joins Navy Starting Rotation

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS031119-08

Release Date: 11/19/2003 5:37:00 PM

From U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

ABOARD HIGH SPEED VESSEL SWIFT (NNS) -- High Speed Vessel (HSV) 2 SWIFT, a wave-piercing aluminum-hulled catamaran, might be a glimpse into the U.S. Navy's future. Although its use is experimental, it's operational and earning its keep while proving its worth.

The ship can chew up ocean at more than 45 knots per hour and operate in only 12 feet of water.

Ship's company is a mere 40 Sailors, including Commanding Officer Cmdr. Mark Sakaguchi and Executive Officer Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Morrison.

HSV 2 is the evolutionary offspring of HSV X1 Joint Venture, a two-year consortium conducted by the Army, Marine Corps and Navy. The newest model was accepted from Australian builders in July, brought to Bahrain by Ingleside, Texas', Blue Crew, and turned over to Little Creek, Va.'s, Gold Crew in mid-October. Following crew certification from the Afloat Training Group, the ship departed the Central Command area of responsibility in late-October.

"We basically had 30 days to go from cold iron to our Final Exercise Problem," said Senior Chief Mineman (SW/AW) Garrett Cecilio, a SWIFT plankowner and one of five people presently typerated to drive the ship. "We had no written instructions, no maneuvering doctrine, no navigation bills and no training program. From Sept. 1 to Oct. 1, we took our experiences from Joint Venture and the operating manuals from Bollinger/Incat and came up with a plan."

The plan has worked. Despite being a crew for just a few weeks, the ship is now supporting bilateral exercises during West African Training Cruise 2004 (WATC) 04. For the next month, SWIFT Sailors will work with U.S. Marines and servicemembers from seven West African nations to develop interoperability, promote engagement and apply mission configurations for the ship.

Everything about SWIFT is a learning curve. Crewmembers compose and amend documents that define day-to-day existence for successors.

"Almost everyone on the ship is a volunteer," Cecilio said, "so they wanted to be here. The crew is motivated and enthusiastic, because they realize we are the first Sailors to get this opportunity and they want to leave an impression. Everybody's ideas are considered. We have great people with better ways to do things. They take a lot of pride in being part of this team, and it shows in how quickly we've gotten things together."

SWIFT is equipped with automatic fire suppression systems in every space. The watch team can remotely activate firefighting agents and monitor conditions in engineering spaces from the cockpit-like bridge. Three people can effectively man the bridge underway.

A cavernous 28,000-square-foot mission deck and vehicle ramp, a 4,000-square-foot flight deck, a boat crane, and turn-on-a-dime maneuverability provide SWIFT with the resources to assume countless mission configurations, including maritime interdiction, mine warfare, littoral access, homeland security, expeditious troop and equipment transport and a host of other possibilities. Some see the ship as a stepping-stone to the littoral combat ship.

Despite the presence of so much commercial equipment, the crew subscribes to as many standard practices as possible.

"We really try to instill Navy tradition where it's practical, and where's it not, we come as close as we can. We want the Sailors to stay proficient in their rating and remember they are in the Navy," Cecilio said.

The Gold Crew will return to Little Creek after completion of WATC. They will turn over SWIFT to the Blue Crew early next year for their four months at the helm.