Today in Undersea Warfare History

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Today In Undersea Warfare History: 1944 | USS Mingo (SS-261) began her 5th war patrol. Although her primary operation was lifeguard duty in support of the US Thirteenth Air Force strikes on the Philippines and Borneo, she sank 4 coastal freighters. 1945 | USS Billfish (SS-286) arrived at Pearl Harbor, HI. from her last war patrol and was ordered to the Atlantic.

U.S. Undersea Warfare News

First Enlisted Female Submarine Sailors Start Training In Conn. Michael Melia, Associated Press, Aug 27

Women's Roles In Special Operations: Breaking Barriers Gidget Fuentes, San Diego Union-Tribune, Aug 26

International Undersea Warfare News

No Secret Submarine Deal Between Japan And Australia Susmita Pathak Mishra, International Business Times, Aug 27

Why India's Submarine Fleet Is Deployed For Just 6 Out Of 10 Days Sudhi Ranjan Sen, NDTV, Aug 27

Japan Struggles To Woo Australia In Bid For $35 Bln Submarine Contract Matt Siegel, Reuters, Aug 26

Australian Military To Get Cozier With U.S. Rob Taylor, Wall Street Journal, Aug 27 U.S. Undersea Warfare News

First Enlisted Female Submarine Sailors Start Training In Conn. Michael Melia, Associated Press, Aug 27

The first four of the female enlisted sailors selected seven toilets for the roughly 140 enlisted men. And for the Navy's "silent service" began training this week at passageways are so narrow that crew members can barely submarine school in Groton, the latest milestone in the pass one another without touching. elimination of one of the U.S. military's few remaining As the Navy was assessing how quickly to gender barriers. integrate the enlisted crews last spring it issued a survey to The barracks at the Navy base have been more than 50,000 enlisted female sailors that found reconfigured for privacy, but officials say the first co-ed significant but not overwhelming interest in submarine class of enlisted recruits is not being received differently duty. Of the 12,700 sailors who participated, 28.5 percent from any others. indicated they would be open to volunteering for submarine The commander of the Naval Submarine School, service, according to Lt. Cmdr. Tommy Crosby, a Virginia- Capt. Andrew Jarrett, said he communicated to his staff based spokesman for the submarine force. that it will be business as usual. The only adjustment made The military has been spreading word of new in anticipation of the women's arrival, he said, was the opportunities in the undersea force. A "road show" led by a addition of a few senior enlisted female sailors to the special task force toured Navy bases earlier this year to school's staff. answer questions from enlisted women about life on "We wanted to have some senior enlisted female submarines. representatives on staff who could mentor the young ladies The four women who began their training Tuesday as they move through their training," Jarrett said in an at Naval Submarine Base New London are among the 38 interview. "We wanted the young female enlisted sailors to female sailors named in June as the first selected for look around and see senior enlisted female sailors, so they submarine duty. They are part of a class of 79 sailors who could sort of see where they might be several years from are in for eight weeks of training at Basic Enlisted now." Submarine School. The female sailors, who are in the The Navy ended a ban on women serving aboard Submarine Electronics Communications Field training submarines in 2010. It began integrating crews by pipeline, will then receive 18 weeks of specialized training introducing female officers, who already have been in submarine electronics. assigned to ballistic-missile and fast-attack submarines. Jarrett said the women will have the same The Navy and its contractors are still working out opportunities as their male counterparts. design changes needed to accommodate mixed-gender "It will be good for the Navy, it will be good for crews on submarines, where privacy is scarce for all, but the young ladies, it will be good for the submarine force," especially the enlisted sailors. While many volunteers say he said. they are drawn to the camaraderie, sailors on the roomiest subs sleep nine to a bunk room, with four showers and Back to Top

Women's Roles In Special Operations: Breaking Barriers Gidget Fuentes, San Diego Union-Tribune, Aug 26

The military services are poised to lift all the final decision rests with the defense secretary. restrictions that have barred women from some of the front “Exceptions must be narrowly tailored and based on a lines of combat and the advancements in rank and job that rigorous analysis of factual data regarding the knowledge, come with it. That is, unless the services make good skills and abilities needed for the position,” Panetta wrote arguments to keep as male only those combat-arms jobs, in the 2013memo lifting the ground combat exclusion. including thousands in special operations. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has voiced his Two years ago, then-Defense Secretary Leon support, telling the Senate Appropriations Committee in Panetta directed an end to the combat exclusion rule that May that the military should continue “to expand combat kept female troops from direct combat jobs. The service positions available to women – because everyone who’s secretaries have until Jan. 1 to evaluate performance able and willing to serve their country should have full and standards to ensure they are gender-neutral and integrate equal opportunity to do so.” women into those occupations. At the time of his decision, Since Panetta’s move, the military has been women made up about 15 percent of the military. chipping away some corners of the door that blocks women Technically speaking, as of Jan. 1, every position from certain jobs and combat assignments. But it remains will be open to women. But the services also can argue to unclear just how far the services and the military’s special the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff why it wants a job operations components will go to open the door wide in specialty or an assignment to remain closed to women, but every job field and, more importantly for women, every opportunity to serve in the undersea warfare domain,” Rear assignment slot. Adm. Charles Richard, who commands Submarine Group Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, a senior fellow at the 10 in Kings Bay, Ga., and led the Enlisted Women in Council on Foreign Relations who has extensively studied Submarines Task Force Commander, said in a statement. women and special operations forces, said U.S. Special “It’s an exciting time in the submarine force as we continue Operations Command has been studying integration and is to move forward in shaping the future of our force, drawing expected to submit its recommendations in July. Lemmon from the best pool of talent possible.” stopped short of predicting whether those premier special- In recent years, female soldiers have accompanied ops assignments will include women, but she believes special operations forces, including Army Rangers and many in the community who have worked alongside Special Forces, attached as “cultural support teams” to women support the change – as long as standards remain better interact with local women in Afghan villages. But the same. whether U.S. Special Operations Command will agree to “The Rangers I speak of, even the ones who didn’t any lifting of the exclusion to allow women assignment as like the idea, felt it was inevitable,” said Lemmon, an Rangers, or Green Berets or Navy SEALs or Marine author who spent two years writing about the experiences Raiders waits to be seen. Sentiment within the community of female soldiers who trained and deployed as part of is mixed. female engagement teams alongside Army Rangers. A Special Operations Command survey found “Whether (women) would qualify, that was another story.” doubts among men that women could meet the demands of “The wars we fight are changing, and so are the people,” special operations, The Associated Press reported in April. she said. Women also were concerned about the lowering of Breaking that glass ceiling in the special standards and, in turn, how that might reflect negatively on operations community, however, is seen by women as an them. opportunity to serve, fight and sacrifice equally. The Lemmon said Rangers she met who trained or special operations forces that conduct “direct action,” worked with the female soldiers on the teams said “these including Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders, Army Rangers women aren’t any different from us,” she said. “There’s no and Green Berets, are seen as the ultimate front-line question, after 9/11 special operations folks I see speak assignment, Lemmon said, “doing something that they see about how these women made a difference.” Moreover, she as making a difference to the mission. It’s about purpose – said, “the most important thing, among women and men, it’s always about purpose.” The Army on June 16 lifted was that the standards remain high.” gender restrictions on 20,563 jobs, including combat Lemmon detailed the work of those female engineers; not necessarily combat engineer slots in special soldiers in her book, “Ashley’s War: The Untold Story of a operations units, however. Team of Women Soldiers on the Special Ops Battlefield.” “We’ve just approved opening up all positions in It tells the story of Combat Support Team soldiers. One of engineer to females, we’re very close to approving all them was 1st Lt. Ashley White Stumpf, who was killed positions in field artillery for females,” Gen. Ray Odierno Oct. 22, 2011, when improvised explosive devices told soldiers during a “virtual” town hall with troops before detonated during a patrol with Rangers. Two of the Rangers that decision was announced. A decision on the Army’s also died, including Rancho Bernardo High graduate biggest combat-arms communities – infantry and armor – Kristoffer B. Domeij, 29, a veteran Ranger on his 14th may come out in October after ongoing tests and combat deployment. assessments are completed, he said. “This is a positive story about what women could In February, the Army opened 4,100 special do. This is a story of what they have already done, and the commands, including Army Special Operations Command, difference they made in the battlefield” – in special Army National Guard Special Forces Group, Military operations and across the military services, she said. Those Information Support Operations Command and Military women “had a skill set that was useful, and they were seen Free Fall Operations. But it “does not include currently as contributing to the mission.” closed occupations and positions with closed skill That the female soldiers excelled in that training identifiers,” Army Secretary John McHugh wrote. Those and mission in a spec-ops community that’s been include Army Rangers and Special Forces, which have continuously deployed and primed to solve whatever remained along with infantry, cavalry and armor. problem is in front of them is a testament to all of them, The Navy’s elite “silent service” took another big Lemmon said. “It’s not an easy thing to come in, fit in and step June 22, when the Navy announced the first group of make a difference.” With deadlines looming, it seems all female enlisted sailors to be screened for training and eyes this spring have been on the Army’s Ranger School. assigned to a submarine. Those women will join men who In late June, three female soldiers were hoping the crew the Ohio-class submarine Michigan. Female officers third time could be the charm for them. The women had have served on its larger submarines for several years in an passed the Army’s physical fitness test for entry into the initial test of crew integration. two-month Ranger School, held at Fort Benning, Ga. It was The Navy had more women interested and their third try for the school, after having been dropped qualified to take the job than it had spaces for them, twice from the first phase of the training, called the Darby officials said. “We couldn’t be more pleased with the Phase. They, along with a number of men, were allowed to amount of interest shown by enlisted women in wanting the recycle into the next class, which started June 22. Col. David Fivecoat, who commands the Airborne and Ranger Opening the school to women, however, doesn’t Training Brigade, which runs Ranger School, told the mean female soldiers who graduate Ranger School get to Army Times newspaper that the women “earned” another be Rangers. Graduates are Ranger-qualified and earn the shot, having completed the fitness test during the Ranger coveted “Ranger” tab to display on their shoulders. But to Assessment Phase. get the coveted tan beret and to serve and be assigned to the “The overall performance of the three ... was very 75th Ranger Regiment, a Ranger must complete the Ranger high. All three were close to making it through the Darby Assessment and Selection Program, which has been closed Phase ... That is a daunting task for anyone, male or to women. female.” Roughly fewer than half the students graduate from the school, which is considered the Army’s premier Back to Top leadership course.

International Undersea Warfare News

No Secret Submarine Deal Between Japan And Australia Susmita Pathak Mishra, International Business Times, Aug 27

Japan delegation with a bid to build Australia’s “At this moment we have not yet determined next submarines has denied it is involved in rumoured which is good and which is bad,” the head of the secret dealings with the Australian federal government to delegation, Admiral Takashi Saito said to the media. win the contract. Representatives of the bid said that if successful, Masaki Ishikawa, one of the representatives of the deal would strengthen the strong defence bond between Japan’s defence ministry, said during a press conference in both countries. It is the first time Japan is sharing its Adelaide on Wednesday that such speculations did not advanced and sensitive technology with another country. come from Japan, and that they should not be blamed for it. In February 2015, Prime Minister Tony Abbott had The Japanese delegation also said the federal denied any agreement was made on the submarine deal government has already warned the bidders, which include with Japan regarding replacement of old submarines with France and Germany, about the “competitive evaluation Japanese Soryu-class vessels. Today’s delegation in process.” The final submission with all details will be Adelaide introduced 200 representatives outlining the submitted by the end of November 2015. Soryu class submarines. However, the delegation from Japan remained Defence Industries Minister Martin Hamilton- tight-lipped when asked about where they would prefer Smith of South Australia specified that the government is building the new fleet of Australian submarines if their clear about building submarines in Australia, especially in contract is successful. Instead, representatives indicated Adelaide. He also mentioned that approximately $50 billion that they planned on presenting three options, including will be spent on building and maintaining the next fleet of building in Australia, in Japan and in both countries. Australian submarines. Back to Top

Why India's Submarine Fleet Is Deployed For Just 6 Out Of 10 Days Sudhi Ranjan Sen, NDTV, Aug 27

Indian submarines, on an average, are available for India's efforts to reverse engineer spares have been just six out of 10 days for operational deployment. And of successful, "but it is not perfect," the officer said. every 10 tasks allotted to the fleet, it has to drop at least "The aging fleet means that the stress to run the one, a senior Naval officer told NDTV. boat is more and leaves the crew with less and less time for India needs at least 24 conventional submarines critical tasks," the officers added. but only has 10 - which includes a nuclear submarine Submarines are critical for "sea-denial" - refusing leased from Russia in 2002. The last conventional the enemy space to navigate and dominate the sea. Indian submarine was acquired in the late '90s. Each conventional Navy's charter spreads over a vast mass of water stretching boat in the fleet is around 20 years old. from Gulf of Aden in the West to the Straits of Malacca in In contrast, China has 60 -- 48 conventional and 12 the South. nuclear submarines. Pakistan has five submarines and is In 1999, the government had approved a 30-year acquiring 8 Shang class submarines from China. submarine building programme. The plan proposed The depletion of submarine fleet isn't the Navy's building six submarines in India by 2012 and six more by only cause of concern. 2030. "We have major issues with spare parts that But although India signed up with French reduces availability of platforms," the officer told NDTV. Weapons manufacturer DCNS to acquire six Scorpene Disel-Electric attack submarines in 2005, the process has The plan to build six more submarines under the been delayed by half a decade. "Make in India" programme is yet to take off. South Block The first boat - INS Kalvari, being built in is yet to decide which shipyard should be given the Mumbai's Mazagon Dock - will be out for sea trial this year contract. and is expected to join the Navy in late 2016. Back to Top

Japan Struggles To Woo Australia In Bid For $35 Bln Submarine Contract Matt Siegel, Reuters, Aug 26

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – Japan's effort to charm Both sources said Japanese defence ministry Australian politicians and the public over its bid for a A$50 officials had informally asked U.S. contractors with close billion ($35.60 billion) submarine project appeared to ties to Japanese industry, including Raytheon Co and stumble on Wednesday, with officials from Tokyo resisting Lockheed Martin Corp , to advise Mitsubishi Heavy on pressure to commit to building the vessels in Australia. managing its first ever bid to sell military equipment to an Japanese defence officials and executives from overseas government. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy No Secret Deal Industries made their first major pitch to build 12 stealth Australian media has said Australian Prime submarines for Australia's navy during public briefings in Minister Tony Abbott and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Adelaide, a ship-building hub. Abe privately agreed last year that Japan would get the Once seen as the frontrunner to win the contract, contract, which also involves maintenance of the vessels. the Japanese bid has since come under scrutiny over Both sides have denied such a deal. whether Tokyo would build any of the submarines in The issue dominated a news conference held by Australia, where manufacturing jobs are a hot-button the Japanese delegation. political issue. "The current situation has us a little bit perplexed Rivals ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germany and confused why such speculation is still being voiced," and France's state-controlled naval contractor DCNS have said Masaki Ishikawa, director general for acquisition both said they would build entirely in Australia, reform at Japan's Ministry of Defence. emphasising the economic and political benefits of their Ishikawa declined to be drawn on whether Japan proposals. would build the submarines in Australia. The European firms have also courted the Abbott has described Japan as Australia's "closest Australian defence industry and media in key cities. friend in Asia.” The United States is also keen to spur The Japanese delegation, led by retired Admiral security cooperation between two key allies. Takahashi Saito, stressed Japan's cutting-edge technology, Officials in Adelaide, capital of South Australia track record in manufacturing and strategic relationship state, insisted on at least 70 percent local worker with Australia during an open forum for local industry participation in the project. leaders. "The French and the Germans have been out there But two sources present at separate private in the public domain making their case and, look, that's meetings between Japanese and Australian officials said the understandable because this is an argument that will be Japanese did not seem to have much understanding of the determined in the court of public opinion," South Australia political sensitivities and appeared to have lost ground to defence minister Martin Hamilton-Smith said in an their rivals. interview. They said the delegation gave few details about the Influential independent Senator Nick Xenophon, Japanese proposal beyond reassurances they would adhere who met with the delegation privately, told Reuters the to the bidding rules. Japanese had put themselves in a position to play catch up. "It seems like the (Australian) federal government Senator Sean Edwards, chairman of the economics just told them that they had to come down here and talk to committee in the upper house of Australia's parliament, us," one source told Reuters under the condition of said he had repeatedly told the Japanese officials the anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the political importance of pledging to build in Australia. media. "They get it," he told Reuters. "I think they're really struggling to connect to the The Japanese declined to meet with labour union public. It's just not in their DNA to speak publicly about leaders, said Glenn Thompson, assistant national secretary defence issues." of the powerful Australian Manufacturing Workers Union. A defence industry source in Tokyo said the "We would have thought the Japanese ... would German bid was shaping up as the one to beat. have liked to have talked to the unions," he said. "There is some concern in the Japanese Each of the bidders has been asked to provide government," said another industry source in Tokyo three estimates: one for construction overseas, one for a familiar with the proposals. partial assembly in Australia and one for a full build in an Australian shipyard. An expert advisory council is expected to deliver (Additional reporting by Tim Kelly in Tokyo; its recommendation in November. Editing by Lincoln Feast and Dean Yates) ($1 = 1.4047 Australian dollars) Back to Top

Australian Military To Get Cozier With U.S. Rob Taylor, Wall Street Journal, Aug 27 Defense Minister’s Speech Thursday Prime Minister Tony Abbott has promised to boost military spending to 2% of gross domestic product inside a Will Preview Coming White Paper’s decade, with a military budget of A$32 billion next year and a cumulative A$132 billion over the next few years. 20-Year Military-Upgrade Plan Last year Australia ranked sixth globally in weapons imports, according to the Stockholm Institute for SYDNEY – Australia’s coming strategic blueprint will call Peace Research, spending almost A$14 billion on arms. for more closely entwining its military with its U.S. A large chunk of the added spending will go to a counterpart, including a more visible presence in the stronger open-ocean presence for Australia’s navy, country of U.S. naval ships and warplanes. including eight new submarines, nine frigates and up to 20 Defense Minister Kevin Andrews was to give a corvettes at a cost of A$89 billion. Australia is also preliminary outline Thursday of the 20-year, $300 billion introducing two amphibious carriers and missile destroyers Australia dollar (U.S. $214 billion) plan to boost the as well as stealth fighter planes. military, which will be detailed in a future white paper. Submarine makers from Japan, France and “Through this white paper, the government will Germany are pursuing the business. Japanese shipbuilders seek to broaden and deepen our alliance with the United and defense officials were in Adelaide on Wednesday to States, recognizing that the U.S. alliance will remain push a 10-year, A$50 billion deal for Soryu submarines. fundamental to our security and defense planning and the Japan is seeking to become a major weapons exporter for highest priority for our international cooperation,” Mr. the first time since World War II. Andrews planned to say in a speech to U.S. and Australian “This white paper will deliver a future Australian business groups. Parts of the speech were obtained in Defense Force that is potent, agile and ready to respond advance by The Wall Street Journal. whenever our interests are engaged across the world,” Mr. The much-delayed paper, now expected in Andrews was to say in his speech, according to the October, is based on the long-standing belief that excerpts. Australia’s security is most effectively underpinned by a It added that “Force Posture Initiatives” being strong U.S. presence in Asia, offsetting a more assertive discussed with the U.S. and likely to be reflected in the China. white paper would enhance the ability of their militaries to But while it will lay out a more muscular approach operate together, building on current rotations by U.S. in line with Washington – and welcome the U.S. strategic Marines in Australia’s north. rebalance toward the region, as Mr. Andrews’s speech says “We are also continuing to develop enhanced – it will also look to avoid overt criticism of Beijing. cooperation between the Royal Australian Air Force and Six years ago then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd the United States Air Force, and we are examining a range enraged China, Australia’s biggest trading partner, with a of practical options to enhance naval cooperation,” the defense white paper that argued Beijing’s rise posed speech says. regional security risks. Back to Top