Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC)

Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Driving Office

[240724-D-RU939-1431]Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Adam Zilko, leads the Mine Counter Measures Exercise Planner as a part of Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024 in Hawaii. Twenty-nine nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, more than 150 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC in and around the Hawaiian Islands, June 27 to Aug. 1. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2024 is the 29th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Australian Defence Force photo by Imagery Specialist Corporal Nicole Dorrett)

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Photo By: OR-6 Nicole Dorrett

VIRIN: 240729-N-N0831-0001

Royal Australian Navy Mine Warfare Clearance Diving Officer (MCDO) Adam Zilko’s current exchange posting to the United States has seen him lead Mine Counter Measures (MCM) exercise planner at RIMPAC 2024.

Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) Change of Command

230517-N-US228-1008 SAN DIEGO (May 17, 2023) - Capt. Wilson Marks, the oncoming commanding officer of Commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), speaks during a change-of-command ceremony at the SMWDC headquarters onboard Naval Base San Diego. Capt. Wilson Marks relieved Rear Adm. Chris Alexander during the ceremony. SMWDC has five major lines of effort including advanced tactical training and warfare tactics instructor (WTI) production and ensures the Surface Force retains its competitive edge. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Stevin Atkins.)

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Photo By: Petty Officer 2nd Class Stevin Atkins

VIRIN: 230517-N-US228-1008

Capt. Wilson Marks assumed command of Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) at a change of command ceremony at SMWDC’s headquarters in San Diego, Wednesday, May 17.

The Journey Continues for Texas Sailor

The journey continues for Lt. Reed Harbeck who is currently enrolled at University of California at San Diego (UCSD) in a Master of Advanced Studies in International Affairs with a focus in Security of the Asia-Pacific and expects to graduate in June 2023. Harbeck is currently assigned to Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) in San Diego, California, as the command’s Foreign Disclosure Officer. One day, he hopes to become a Foreign Area Officer and be assigned in Southeast Asia. (Photo illustration by Lt. Cmdr. Amy Forsythe, Public Affairs Officer, SMWDC)

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Photo By: Amy Forsythe

VIRIN: 221201-N-N0831-0003

The journey continues for U.S. Navy Lt. Reed Harbeck on his long road to becoming a Foreign Area Officer.

SMWDC Hosts 2022 Maritime Warfare Working Group

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Joseph Abrutz, left, Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Kansas City’s (LCS 22) executive officer, greets Royal Navy Capt. Sean Ryan as part of the 2022 Maritime Warfare Working Group, Nov. 3, 2022.

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Photo By: Petty Officer 2nd Class Vance Hand

VIRIN: 221109-N-N0831-0001

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Joseph Abrutz, left, Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Kansas City’s (LCS 22) executive officer, greets Royal Navy Capt. Sean Ryan as part of the 2022 Maritime Warfare Working Group, Nov. 3, 2022.

A First for Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training

220915-N-NQ285-1150 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 15, 2022) Lt. Cmdr. Jason King, left, an integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) warfare tactics instructor (WTI) assigned to the Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC), gives instruction to Fire Controlman (Aegis) 2nd Class Lucas Richards, assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage (DDG 61), during an air-defense exercise in the ship’s combat information center. Ramage is underway as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group conducting Surface Warfare Advanced Tactical Training (SWATT) exercise to increase lethality, ensure combat readiness, and promote tactical innovation. SWATT is led by SMWDC whose mission is to increase the lethality and tactical proficiency and lethality of the surface force across all domains. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sawyer Connally)

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Photo By: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Sawyer Connally

VIRIN: 220926-N-N0831-0004

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.

A joint Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center and Naval Surface Warfare Center Corona Division training and data analytics team supported the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Shoup (DDG 86) while underway in the Pacific Ocean for a Live Fire With a Purpose exercise Sept. 18, 2022.

SMWDC's Newest Warfare Tactics Instructors

220916-N-FG807-1042 SAN DIEGO (Sept 16, 2022) – Newly-graduated Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTI) gather for a group photo following their graduation ceremony at Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) on Naval Base San Diego Sept. 16, 2022.

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Photo By: Petty Officer 1st Class Devin Lowe

VIRIN: 220920-N-N0831-0002

Newly-graduated Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTI) gather for a group photo following their graduation ceremony at Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) on Naval Base San Diego Sept. 16, 2022.

WTI Scholars Program: Best of Both Worlds

220826-N-FG807-1001 Lt. Matt Serio, an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) was selected to attend Naval Postgraduate School to earn a Master’s of Science in Space Systems Operations under the WTI Scholars program. (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Devin Alexondra Lowe)

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Photo By: CNSP

VIRIN: 230405-N-N0831-0006

Creating a career path to sustain and enhance Surface Warfare Officers (SWO) requires balancing between professional development and academic endeavors.

Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center’s (SMWDC’s) Surface Advanced Warfighting School (SAWS) broke ground Tuesday onboard Naval Base San Diego (NBSD) for the refurbishment of two buildings (3303 and 3292) to collocate all Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) courses of instruction (COI), Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTP) development, and Advanced COI classroom training.

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PHILLIPPINE SEA (June 17, 2022) Cmdr. David Catterall, the commanding officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62), delivers remarks during a Remembrance Ceremony held for the seven Sailors lost during a collision-at-sea on the five-year anniversary. Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a schedule deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Catie Coyle)

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Photo By: Catie Coyle

VIRIN: 220617-N-CE463-1140

PHILIPPINE SEA – Five years after the collision that took the lives of seven Sailors, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) and her crew held a remembrance ceremony for the fallen while on deployment in U.S. 7th Fleet.

Twenty-six nations, 38 surface ships, four submarines, nine national land forces, more than 170 aircraft and approximately 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise scheduled June 29 to Aug. 4, in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California.

Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) is undergoing a reorganization to establish a more efficient and functional organization focused on meeting the complex needs of the dynamic environment of the future by delivering on SMWDC’s major lines of operations: warfare tactic instruction (WTI) production; advanced tactical training; doctrine and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) development; operational support to naval component commanders and numbered fleet commanders; and capability assessments, experimentation and requirements support.

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88) held a change of command ceremony on Preble Field at Liberty Station as Cmdr. John Baggett turned over the role of commanding officer to Cmdr. Peter Lesaca, Oct. 29.

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Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Gaisford, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), graduated from Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC's) Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) program.

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Photo By: Lt. Clinton Beaird

VIRIN: 210930-N-N0831-0003

Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Gaisford, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), graduated from Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC's) Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Warfare Tactics Instructor (WTI) program.

Best Preparation for SWO Career Success – Become a WTI

Best Preparation for SWO Career Success – Become a WTI

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Photo By: CNSP

VIRIN: 210730-N-N0831-0002

Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander, Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center, along with several Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTIs), visited the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) July 15, 2021.