• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Technology Takes Training Into Future

Navy Newsstand

Story Number: NNS040315-15

Release Date: 3/16/2004 2:59:00 AM

By Journalist Seaman Bretta L. Heath, Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- More than 12,000 Sailors from three Carrier Strike Groups (CSG) participated in the first Multiple Battle Group In Port Exercise Feb. 23-27.

The exercise involved three aircraft carriers and a dozen other ships from Norfolk, Va., San Diego, and Bremerton, Wash., and joined three CSGs from U.S. Atlantic and Pacific Fleets in a simulated combat environment, without any of the participating ships having to leave the comfort of their pierside berthing.

"You can never replace steaming hours and flight hours, but you can enhance them," said Capt. Russ Williams, commanding officer of Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TTGL).

Cruiser-Destroyer Group 2, Destroyer Squadron 26, TTGL, guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61), guided-missile destroyers USS Laboon (DDG 58) and USS Mahan (DDG 87), and fast-attack submarine USS Montpelier (SSN 765) made up the list of Hampton Roads participants. Pacific Fleet units included USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) CSGs.

The training, hosted by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet in San Diego, linked the resources of TTGL on the East Coast and Tactical Training Group Pacific on the West Coast, and also involved Commander, U.S. 2nd Fleet, and Naval Warfare Development Center.

A simulation system called Battle Force Tactical Trainer is the latest in an evolution designed to prepare Sailors for upcoming deployments while their ship is still in port.

While the training program originated from the TTG facilities on their respective coasts, the focus of the training was the CIC [combat information center] on each of the smaller ships, and the Combat Direction Center on the aircraft carriers. From those locations, Sailors tracked every aspect of a deployed carrier strike force, from F/A-18 Hornets to surface ships and submarines, without the associated costs of getting under way.

"If you assume recent past training, it takes three to five days to get command and control procedures operating smoothly, said Capt. Williams. If you can do that in a synthetic environment, there is a 10 to 100 times cost savings."

The exercise brought these three CSGs together to train through virtual reality, making the scenario as authentic as possible for the combat decision makers. CIC supervisors were required to make decisions based on the information they received from their consoles, and to share this information with each other in order to make effective combat decisions.

"This is all done in a synthetic environment," said Williams. "This will help with efficiency in training, as well as in dollars. They're able to conduct their training and go home at the end of the day."

The program enables the ships to improve communication, speeds up the training process and allows ships to be deployment-ready for longer periods of time.

"The exercise is more focused on training and its value, and it's essential to make their days at sea more effective," said Capt. Rip Schrader, TTGL director of Training.

In port exercises illustrate the forward drive of technology that continues to push military training to new heights. By blending military training and cutting edge technology, crews can experience the revolution of a 21st century Navy.