5th Fleet Focus: Let the Rotations Begin

The Atlantic Fleet is deploying two carriers over the next dozen weeks to replace the two Pacific based carriers already on station, and just like the Pacific deployments produced plenty of story lines, the Atlantic Fleet deployments do not disappoint.

The USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group deployed Saturday in the first of these rotations. The Big "E" Strike Group will replace the USS John C Stennis Strike Group which departed in January. The Stennis Strike Group deployed earlier than originally planned, and was "surged" to the Persian Gulf to establish a 2 carrier presence as part of the Iraqi surge. The effect was the surge of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which ended up borrowing the escorts USS Russell (DDG 59) and USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) from the Stennis Carrier Strike Group. Had the Stennis not been redirected to the Gulf, which prompted the Reagan to deploy to the Far East while the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) was undergoing repairs, the Stennis Carrier Strike Group would have been the first to deploy with 4 DDG escorts under the Fleet Response Plan. Instead, the Enterprise Strike Group becomes the first under the new plan.

While the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) will likely steal most of the headlines due to its historical, and even iconic name, not to mention the fact that carriers usually get all the attention, I'd like to pay special tribute to the tin can sailors aboard the USS Bainbridge (DDG 96). I find it more than a bit ironic that Commander Stephen J. Coughlin, the CO of the USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) is a graduate of the Naval Academy class of 1988. On April 14, 2024 the USS Samual B. Roberts (FFG 58) hit an Iranian M-08 mine in the Persian Gulf during Operation Earnest Will. I find it ironic because I recently completed reading No Higher Honor (ISBN 1-59114-661-5) by Bradley Peniston, who pointed out that when the frigate was in the Gulf in 1988 it literally had no mine detection capability other than a handful of spotters.

The result of that tragic event was probably the driving factor in increasing the capabilities of destroyers in mine warfare. Nearly 20 years later, the USS Bainbridge (DDG 96) represents the lessons learned from that event.

The AN/WLD 1 (V)1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS) is intended to be the mine detection system of choice in the future. While it is a primary component to the Littoral Combat Ship MIW capability, on January of this year the USS Bainbridge become the first ship the RMS has been installed to. This is a good step for the Navy, it reflects the reality that of the 18 US Navy ships damaged since the Korean War, 14 were as a result of mines. The USS Bainbridge represents a culmination of training, capabilities, and firepower in every lesson learned in the Persian Gulf in the modern Naval era, may your sailors make your nation proud and carry the on the name of your ships namesake, a true pioneer in the early US Navy.


The USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group will be followed in September by the USS Harry S. Truman Strike Group, which will be rotated to the Gulf to replace the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) currently on station. The ships in the Truman Strike Group have never been officially announced by the Navy, but it is noteworthy the ships that have been in workups with the USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75).

Among the US Navy ships are the USS San Jacinto (CG 56), USS Hue City (CG 66), and USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79), but additionally the French frigate La Fayette (F 710) and the HMS Manchester (D 95).

While it is still unclear which ships will be fully integrated into the USS Truman Strike Group, it would appear the HMS Manchester (D 95) will be.

World events have U.S. and British navies working more jointly than ever, and therefore it makes sense to have the two allies work closer together, said Cmdr. Mark Durkin, a spokesman with Britain’s Ministry of Defence.

So, during the latter part of 2007, the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry will sail from its home port of Norfolk, Va., to join the HMS Illustrious Strike Group, led by the British aircraft carrier of the same name, Durkin said. Conversely, the air defense destroyer HMS Manchester will join the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group, also led by a carrier of the same name, he said.

It is unclear if this is still the plan, as there have been no public media reports regarding this since the estripes article, however the HMS Illustrious (R 06) and HMS Manchester (D 95) have been off the East Coast the last few weeks for exercises with the Truman Carrier Strike Group, which tends to confirm earlier reports. It would also appear during the recent visit to New York City, the HMS Manchester (D 95) had a bit of trouble in the harbor:

Dozens of warships and over 100 other vessels were involved in the July 4th celebrations and the incident occurred as the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II was manoeuvring in the crowded harbour.

As tugs attempted to bring the QE2 alongside in Manhattan the liner's stern drifted out and dented the Japanese Training Squadron vessel Kashima, forcing her to scrape against the Portsmouth-based Type 42 destroyer HMS Manchester. No serious damage was done and the Japanese Admiral on board the Kashima was quoted as saying it was an honour to have been 'kissed' by the Queen Elizabeth.

In looking around I noticed the Truman Carrier Strike Group has been involved in testing high speed IP network traffic systems that have been getting some coverage in the tech communities. Then I remembered Trident Warrior 2007, and sure enough CHIPS has been busy with allies.

The biggest successes of the last three years have been Subnet Relay and high frequency (HF) IP. Both are the transfer of Internet Protocol data over existing line-of-sight radio links. SNR uses UHF radio, and HF IP uses standard HR radios.

These systems were actually proposed by our coalition partners in TW05 for their low cost and widespread availability. They were such a success [that] they were proposed to become a program of Record, and now we are fielding them as part of a Rapid Technology Transition to the fleet.

Integration is key, particularly in warships of various nations. Those who participated in Trident Warrior 2007:

Some of our players this year are: U.S. Joint Forces Command, Second Fleet, Royal Navy Commodore Steve Cleary working with Second Fleet as the Combined
Forces Maritime Component Commander, the Harry S. Truman Strike Group, Carrier Air Wing Three and Destroyer Squadron Two Six. The Defense Department’s experimental ship, the Stiletto is also joining us.

Other ships include the USS Hue City, USS San Jacinto, USS Oscar Austin, USS Annapolis; from Australia, the HMCS Charlottetown, HMAS Perth and HMAS Arunta; from New Zealand, the HMNZS Te Kaha; and from France, the FNS Lafayette.

Within the CHIPS article this statement stood out for me:

There are around 80 technologies. It changes every day. Some days the functionality does not work. We have about 200 objectives. Trident Warrior is about the people, the process and the technology. We don’t just concentrate on computers and machines. We worry about the commander and his subordinates and how the process is interactive.

I am a bit encouraged by the words, hopefully there was follow through on this. No matter how good the tool is, the skill of the sailors use of the tool and the process framework the tool is utilized within are at least as important, if not more so, than the tool itself. Technologies change, but at the end of the day it is the capability of the individual sailor that will decide any individual technologies effectiveness. A focus on training sailors is critical to the successful implementation of new technologies, hopefully that is the case here.

Both the USS Enterprise and USS Truman Carrier Strike Groups will represent the US Naval capabilities in the Persian Gulf the second half of 2007, and into 2008. In many ways they represent a new frontier in naval technology and capabilities based on lessons learned and systems developed from a long tradition of deployments to the region. These deployments will be interesting to observe.