A First for Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training

by Courtesy Story

26 September 2022 UNITED STATES -- Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) directed two Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercises – one on each coast, simultaneously – from SMWDC’s exercise control center (ECC), September 2022.

Since inception in 2015, SMWDC has completed 35 SWATT exercises, but there were still some “first time” occurrences this month.

“This was the first planned and executed SWATT designed with multiple littoral combat ships (LCS) operating under LCS Squadron (LCSRON) ONE as the Officer in Tactical Command, instead of plugging the LCS units into a carrier strike group’s cruiser-destroyer (CRUDES) SWATT,” said Arnel Ebue, SMWDC ECC supervisor. “LCSRON ONE battle watch staff operated from SMWDC’s ECC as LCS SWATT completed training in the Pacific Ocean. At the same time, the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) CRUDES SWATT was operating in the Atlantic Ocean, also controlled from SMWDC’s ECC.”

SWATT provides the individual warfighters, watch teams, ships and strike groups or amphibious ready groups the tactical training required to increase their lethality, tactical capability and warfighting readiness. Surface warships complete warfighting training courses of instruction in the lead up to SWATT, followed by one week of inport training and up to 16 days of at-sea training. Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) is aligned closely with the Surface Competitive Edge initiative aimed at developing clear and innovative operational concepts and enhancing warfighting readiness.

“LCS SWATT’s at-sea operational mission scenarios empowered individual Sailors, ship watch teams, and division and squadron staffs to utilize all of the ships’ onboard resources and to coordinate between ships in a simulated fight,” said Capt. Spencer Austin, commodore of Mine Division Twelve based in San Diego. “From in-port instruction to firing missiles with a SeaRAM launcher, SMWDC’s leadership and guidance over the past two weeks increased our crews’ tactical and technical expertise, and validated USS Oakland Gold crew’s, USS Mobile Blue crew’s, and USS John Finn’s warfighting capabilities.”

SMWDC embarks senior mentors and warfare tactics instructors (WTIs) aboard ships during SWATT to provide over-the-shoulder guidance to warships’ watch teams as they hone their tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), execute surface warfighting doctrine, and apply ground truth to swiftly identify areas for improvement at the individual, system or doctrine level. WTIs are tactical experts in one of four surface warfare areas – integrated air and missile defense (IAMD), anti-submarine warfare/surface warfare (ASW/SUW), amphibious warfare (AMW), or mine warfare (MIW). Because of SWATT performance data analysis deep-dives, and doctrine and TTP testing and refinement, each iteration of SWATT is a little more challenging and more importantly, delivers a more lethal and combat ready surface force.

SMWDC’s mission is to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency of the surface force across all domains. SMWDC recruits and develops top-talented junior surface warfare officers into expert surface warfighting tacticians. For more information about the WTI program, email SWO_WTI@navy.mil or visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/Ships/Naval-Surface-and-Mine-Warfighting-Development-Center-SMWDC/About/WTI/.