Key leaders in the Pacific Fleet gathered together at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam for the first Commander Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific Tactical Symposium, Sept. 23.
The event provided an opportunity for Navy leadership from different commands discuss the profession of arms, and how the ships in Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific factor into the operational through tactical plans in the Pacific theater of operations.
“The symposium was a great dialog; we identified areas where we can communicate and execute better,” said Rear Adm. John Wade, commander of Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC). This was also a forum for our surface warfare officers (SWO) to understand what we [SMWDC] are doing for the future of the Surface Navy. Our key piece is tactical development – which means having the right tactics to equip our Sailors with the competence and confidence to employ their weapons systems if called upon.”
Wade presented SMWDC, a new command that opened at Naval Base San Diego, June 9, 2015, and its primary mission.
"Our core mission is pretty simple; it is to increase the tactical proficiency of the Surface Warfare community, which is easier said than done. We are focused on implementing an advanced underway tactical exercise called the Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT). SWATT ensures our ships and Sailors are ready to enter the integrated phase where we conduct operations with the aviation community, our submarine teammates, Special Forces, expeditionary forces and information warfare professionals,” said Wade.
The conduits to lead SWATT are a new generation of specialized SWOs who receive graduate-level education in doctrine and tactics from SMWDC at the junior office level. This elite cadre of SWOs is called warfare tactics instructors (WTI), and “they specialize in three specific Surface Warfare areas,” said Wade. WTIs are the subject matter experts in integrated air and missile defense, amphibious warfare, or anti-submarine warfare/surface warfare.
Aside from SMWDC, the event also hosted briefers from United States Pacific Command, United States Pacific Fleet, Destroyer Squadron 31, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, who all emphasized that increasing tactics and training in the Surface Warfare community creates a better Navy as a whole by increasing maritime superiority.
"Our surface warriors deploying from Hawaii are part of a great Navy and joint team. Make the time to understand your individual role and the role your team/unit/command plays, and then, put in the time to be brilliant at it,” said Rear Adm. John Fuller, commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific. I'm happy to see the innovation the enterprise is applying to achieve the U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander's vision."