DECEMBER 2014 2014 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM Chief of Naval Operations ADM Jonathan Greenert, USN
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DECEMBER 2014 2014 ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM Chief of Naval Operations ADM Jonathan Greenert, USN ................. 8 Director, Naval Reactors ADM John Richardson, USN .................... 20 Commander, Submarine Forces VADM Mike Connor, USN ........................ 29 Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command VADM Willy Hilarides ............................ 54 Program Executive Officer, Submarines RADM Dave Johnson, USN ...................... 64 Director, Undersea Warfare RADM Joe Tofalo, USN ........................... 83 FEATURES A Naval Disaster in the Making The Honorable Seth Cropsey .................. 92 The Offset Strategy: What Does It Hold For Submarines RADM Jerry Holland, USN, Ret.............. 96 Life Extension of the WALRUS Class From Good to Better CAPT. RNIN (Ret.) Pim Rozendaal and Dr. Ir Carel Prins. .......................... 101 Littoral Submarine Warfare: Offensive & Defensive CAPT. Jim Patton, USN, Ret. ................ 115 THE ADMIRAL RICKOVER EFFECT ON OUR WORLD A Letter Reflecting on ADM Rickover’s Influence Dr. Zack Pate. ....................................... 123 Reflections on ADM Rickover’s Modern Legacy LT. Ryan Hilger, USN ........................... 130 THE SUBMARINE COMMUNITY New Mexico Makes Submarine History Mr. Dick Brown .................................... 136 An Open Call to the Naval Submarine League: Professional Development LT. Ryan Hilger, USN .......................... 142 BOOK REVIEW Fire on the Water by Robert Haddick Reviewed by Dr. William Murray .......... 145 THE SUBMARINE REVIEW EDITOR’S COMMENTS he uniformed leadership making these presentations ranged from the Chief of Naval Operations and the Director of T Nuclear Propulsion, through the Commander of Submarine Forces and the Commander of the Ships System Command. The Program Executive Officer-Submarines, who builds them and the Pentagon’s Director of Undersea Warfare, who works the funding and programmatic problems. In covering the range of submarine activity from Naval Strate- gy to ship and hardware acquisition to current operations, those presentations followed a seamless track of logic for what is needed, to superb industrial performance in high technology acquisition to military tenacity in meeting a high deployment tempo; all with professional excellence and hands-on leadership from command centers to deck plates. Throughout, all emphasized the national importance of building a new class of strategic submarines and the critical problem of bringing in that capability within the time frame made necessary by the end of life of the current class of SSBNs. The Chief of Naval Operations showed a depiction of his priorities for the Navy and described his treatment of the first priority, Maintain the Sea Based Deterrent. It is noteworthy that his second priority is Forward Presence. That is what the Attack Submarines do. Admiral Richardson, as could be expected of the Director of Nuclear Propulsion, delivered a no-nonsense, real time, evaluation of the tough technology, industrial and funding problems to be faced, and solved, in getting these new SSBNs into service on time—if at all. He also called for everyone in the submarine community; active duty, retired, civilian and industrial to get the word out into the public. It is vital to inform those voting citizens of what is involved with this submarine effort and how important it is that an informed citizenry be recruited to support the twin goals of a lasting, credible Sea Based Nuclear Deterrence and an Attack Submarine Force which can provide reactive, enduring 1 Forward Presence; both for the foreseeable future of our national 1 DECEMBER 2014 THE SUBMARINE REVIEW security. Vice Admiral Connor reported on the current status of the Submarine Forces and described the personnel leadership so necessary for the performance required of a nuclear propelled, nuclear armed, forward force. Those of us who had command during the Cold War can only admire what is going on in our submarines during these days which are as challenging as any we faced. The shipbuilding and Pentagon programmatic worlds were well covered. Reading what Vice Admiral Hilarides had to say about the overall acquisition effort gives both a big, and a small, picture. (Think about what he says of real Cyber Security needs and the potential access to your personal vehicle.) As always, Rear Admiral Dave Johnson’s detailed report of all that is going on within the purview of Team Submarine is most impressive. It is real, and it is hardware that is being produced and introduced into the Fleet. There is no smoke and mirrors about how good it will be, because it is all here and now. For a glimpse of future submarine capabilities, Rear Admiral Tofalo’s presentation is very complete and his offer of access to those efforts and their requirements for the industrial sector of the submarine community is very innovative and commendable. Jim Hay Editor 2 DECEMBER 2014 THE SUBMARINE REVIEW FROM THE PRESIDENT “Winter storm ices South, dumps snow on East Coast” So proclaimed the headlines in this morning’s news, a recur- ring theme for the Eastern United States this winter, and with the Groundhog Day promise of six more weeks of winter, there will no doubt be more to come. At least the reduced price of oil and natural gas is expected to mitigate some of the pain. The new Republican controlled Congress is addressing the myriad challenges of putting together a viable budget, working with the Administration to balance domestic and defense priorities. But the threat of Sequestration looms over all, making any budget forecast uncertain. A new Secretary of Defense is settling into a very challenging leadership role, attending to trouble spots around the world while investing in technology, force structure, and infrastructure in anticipation of future demands on our military. The senior leadership of our Submarine Force has maintained a steady hand on the tiller, providing clear direction executing operations at sea and sustaining a robust military and industrial base team to build, modernize, and maintain our submarines for optimal combat readiness and responsiveness worldwide, now and in the future. This issue of THE SUBMARINE REVIEW includes remarks from the Chief of Naval Operations, the Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, the Commander, Submarine Forces, the Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, the Program Executive Officer, Submarines and the Navy’s Director, Undersea Warfare. Each of these officers addressed our Annual Symposium last October and their thoughtful insight provides a clear vision of our way forward and a solid framework for discussion as we debate priorities in the months to come. In addition, this issue includes other thoughtful and thought provoking articles relevant to the Submarine Force that reflect upon our heritage and our future in an uncertain world that is dynamic and diverse. One constant in the midst of all the activity in Washington and 3 around the world is the superb performance of our submarines and 3 DECEMBER 2014 THE SUBMARINE REVIEW the men and women who operate and sustain the Submarine Force. This superior performance is the key element that reinforces Congressional and Defense Department support for Submarine Force initiatives and Submarine Force acquisition and operational programs. Our strategic deterrent force executes its critical mission with quiet professionalism, meeting the highest technical and operational standards. Today, our TRIDENT submarines clearly demonstrate the value and the wisdom of the investment made in the most survivable leg our strategic TRIAD four decades ago. The OHIO Replacement Program (ORP) is building upon this legacy, executing on a schedule to support construction start in 2021. ORP is critical to our nation’s future strategic deterrent capability and the program is focusing its engineering and design effort on affordability, producibility, and sustainability to ensure optimal value for a ship that will service our nation for more than four decades to come. The VIRGINIA Class Submarine (VCS) Program remains the top performing acquisition program within the Department of Defense. The performance of these magnificent warships continues to impress as they join with the rest of our attack submarines answering Combatant Commander’s calls for relevant combat capability when needed, for as long as needed. Further, the VIRGINIA Payload Module (VPM) design is on track for VPM inclusion in the Block V of the VCS Program, providing additional payload volume and increased capability as new and varied payloads are integrated into the fleet to optimize our Navy’s effectiveness. The Naval Submarine League continues to enjoy strong sup- port from our Submarine Force leadership, our Corporate Supporters and the Submarine Industrial Base. Many Corporate Members will gather on 4-5 March 2015 in Falls Church, VA to receive operational, programmatic, and budget status updates from senior Navy and government officials that will provide insight into the way ahead. As in the past, the Naval Submarine League is able to articulate the need for a strong and robust Submarine Force in large measure because of the support provided by our individual 4 DECEMBER 2014 THE SUBMARINE REVIEW and Corporate members. The message is clear: The Submarine Force provides great value and versatility for our nation’s leaders as they address challenges around the world and is the essential element needed to assure undersea dominance for our Combatant Commanders in their respective threaters of operation.