- On the Cover
- Masthead
- Features
The Submarine Force Bids Farewell to NSA La Maddalena Board Basics from the Bureau of Personnel SSGN—Global Presence with Global Support The SSGN Success Story: Concept to Capability in 39 Months SSGN: From the Commanding Officers’ Perspectives The Challenges and Successes for the Crew of the new SSGN From USS Barb to the Ohio-class — The Use of Missiles on Submarines Regulus on Surface Ships
| “As I complete my first year as COMSUBFOR, I want to thank each of you for your efforts and successes in 2007. We continue to support our nation’s Combatant Commanders (COCOMS) with ready forces that provide effective undersea capability to support the war on
terror and the maritime strategy.” VADM Jay Donnelly, USN, Commander, Submarine Force |
|---|
Two notable milestones occurred this year—our first SSGN, USS Ohio (SSGN-726), left on her maiden Pacific deployment and our third Virginia-class submarine, USS Hawaii (SSN-776), completed sea trials and was commissioned. Because of the overall success of the design and shipbuilding team effort, Virginia-class is well on the way to reaching our two per year build rate goal.
As articulated in the maritime strategy, our challenge as a nation is to apply seapower in a manner that protects U.S. vital interests even as it promotes greater international security, stability and trust. We have a head start in fostering these important international relationships through the Diesel-Electric Submarine Initiative (DESI) and the International Submarine Escape and Rescue Liaison Office (ISMERLO). Currently, we are working with the submarine forces of 27 different nations and have eight Sailors serving on Royal Australian Navy submarines.
An important tenet of the maritime strategy is Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). MDA requires enhanced maritime information sharing and an unprecedented level of communication and integration among U.S. maritime forces and our international partners. The Submarine Force continues to develop and test systems to support communications at speed and depth. USS Montpelier (SSN-764) deployed in 2007 with the Truman Strike Group and a new communications system called high frequency internet protocol (HFIP). HFIP enables email and chat with the strike group while submerged below periscope depth using the floating wire antenna.
At the undersea enterprise level, my three priorities—ensuring operational excellence, developing our people, and maintaining and modernizing our future force—are focused on aligning our efforts with CNO and USFF for 2008. Specifically, we will;
- Meet COCOM SSN, SSGN, and SSBN demand with ships ready to execute national and operational level tasking.
- Increase readiness by eliminating non-productive work and removing unnecessary barriers in the execution of the Fleet Readiness Training Plan (FRTP).
- Improve enterprise alignment: align priorities, common goals and expectations with key enterprise providers.
- Establish a POM 10 program of record for large diameter tube experimentation to advance Virginia-class and SSGN payload strategy.
- Develop the operational concepts for the Submarine Littoral Defense System (SLDS), the submarine force’s first anti-air and small boat weapon system.
- Achieve the maximum level of professional development and highest standards of behavior among our personnel.
- Mentor our Sailors to ensure that the best and brightest choose to stay Navy at retention levels that maintain a strong force.
- Strive for a diverse Submarine Force that reflects the diversity of our nation.
- Provide the opportunity for our Sailors to achieve a proper balance between their personal and professional lives.
We continue to hone our operational performance to meet the changing demands of a changing world. Our personnel are performing well, and we are building a strong force for the future. While the demands on the Submarine Force are great, we will continue to answer the call. We are incorporating the latest technologies to make our ships more affordable and more capable at the same time. More importantly, we continue to invest in our people, who make our Submarine Force the finest in the world.
