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SPY Summit Addresses Maximizing Capabilities

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS130506-08
5/6/2013

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Josue Escobosa, Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet Public Affairs

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Sailors from Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, attended a SPY 1 Radar Summit, May 2, at Naval Station Norfolk to discuss the important system, how to overcome its challenges and improve its performance.

The summit included informational lectures followed by a question and answer session with speakers discussing difficulties the program has faced along with hopes for the program's future.

'We're pulling in everybody that has a part in the Aegis weapons system to make sure everybody's involved to make it work and give it the capability that we're looking for,' said Adm. Bill Gortney, commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command and keynote speaker.

'If you don't have SPY working, you may as well be a pleasure ship,' added Senior Chief Fire Controlman Adam Cox. 'There are other things the ship can do, but the main purpose is to have radar operating, tracking contacts and defending the assets like the carrier.'

Nearly 200 fleet operators and trainers were brought together to raise awareness of challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned from operating and maintaining AEGIS cruisers and destroyers. Issues included manning, training and parts.

'It's good that our leadership is showing us they're being receptive,' said Fire Controlman 3rd Class Michael McBride, from the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71). 'This gave us a broader view of what's going on at levels above our own.'

'There can be a disconnect sometimes between what's happening on ships and what the shore side thinks is happening,' said Fire Controlman 1st Class Steven Knapp, from the guided-missile destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill (DDG 81). 'This really helped clear up some of it, but most importantly, the networking we were able to accomplish was vital in helping us out on the ships. Instead of having to go through an email chain of four or five different people, I can now call who I need to talk to get things done.'

Leadership made clear their intentions and focus was on improving fleet-wide readiness and training improvements.

'The fact that Adm. Gortney made the time to speak to fleet operators and maintainers of the SPY radar confirms the critical importance of a fully mission capable SPY-1 radar to successfully completing our core Navy missions of power projection and BMD,' said Capt. Gene Black, Commander Naval Surface Force Atlantic special assistant.

The summit was the fifth of its kind and is scheduled to reoccur every four to six months.