Surface Navy Strategy to spread Lethal muscle to Phibys and Small Boys

150113-N-VA840-179 ARLINGTON, Va. (Jan. 13, 2015)
Vice Adm. Thomas S. Rowden, commander of Naval Surface Forces,
discusses up-and-coming warfighting technologies during the
27th annual Surface  Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium.

Surface Navy Association Begins National Symposium to Discuss Future



Commander, Naval Surface Forces/Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden addressed some of the challenges facing surface Sailors and the theme of the symposium "Surface Warfare: Distributed Lethality - Going on the Offensive."

Surface Warfare: Taking the Offensive

Navy Unveils New Surface Warfare Strategy | Military.com

The Navy plans to distribute more weapons and offensive firepower throughout
the surface fleet as part of a new strategic approach designed to address a fast-changing global threat environment, senior service leaders said Jan. 13 at the Surface Navy Association National Symposium in Arlington, Va.


"We're going to up-gun as many existing platforms as we can to achieve more total lethality," Vice Adm. Thomas Rowden, commander of  Naval Surface Forces, said at the symposium.

SEAPOWER - Surface Warfare Director Stresses Balance of Platforms, Capabilities

By OTTO KREISHER, Special Correspondent

ARLINGTON, Va. — RADM Peter J. Fanta, director of Surface Warfare, embraced the new surface navy concept of distributed lethality, but said he has to make that work within the expected constrained budgets.
The answer, he said, was to achieve a balance of capability and the number of platforms, rather than going for a few expensive, high-end ships.

In the SSC evaluation, Fanta said he was faced with the options building four to six exquisite ships in 15 to 20 years, “or I can build you 20 modified LCSs in half the time.”


The choice of the modified LCS was made after an extensive survey of what the fleet operators said they needed and what industry said it could provide in a limited time and budget, he said. Then they tested the proposed ship in every war game they could think of.


What they found was, “yes, you would lose a number of LCSs ... but you put other fleets on the bottom.” And by using the Fire Scout unmanned aerial system and installing a good detection system, “you have a fighting force the Navy hasn’t had in 25 years.”


Because the reduced budgets expected in the future mean the Navy cannot buy a lot of ships, Fanta said, “distributed lethality is taking everything we have and making it more lethal. ... Making the surface navy of the next 20 years the most lethal we can.”

'Distributed Lethality' | U.S. Naval Institute

For more power in more places, the Navy should increase the  offensive might of the surface force and employ ships in dispersed formations known as ‘hunter-killer surface action groups.’


Of Chief of Naval  Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert’s three tenets, “Warfighting First” is at the top, and that is no accident. When Admiral Greenert assumed  office he immediately set about honing the warfighting edge of the entire Navy. The surface warfare community has seized on this mandate,  so much so that we really have only one priority—warfighting—and everything we do in organizing, training, programming, maintaining,  equipping, and operating the surface force ultimately derives from this single priority. We have renewed our focus on combat readiness, material readiness, and personal readiness, but we focus here mainly on our initiatives in combat readiness.

SNA2015NAVADMIN.pdf

1. The Surface Navy Association (SNA) will hold its 27th Annual National Symposium in Arlington, VA, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City from 13-15 January 2015. The theme this year is Surface Warfare Distributed Lethality * Going on the Offensive.
2. SNA membership is over 6,700 strong. Of this, 80 percent area active duty or former military members. The SNA Annual National Symposium provides an opportunity for discussions on a broad range of professional and career  issues. This is a forum where personnel can discuss innovative solutions to today's issues and tomorrow's Surface Warfare challenges.
3. Per reference (a), use of government funds to attend SNA 2015 is approved.  Attendees and travel authorizing officials must be mindful of the need to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars in attending the symposium and are directed to follow the guidance in references (a) through (c) when authorizing travel. TAD orders may cover expenses incident to attendance and participation in the conference including transportation, per diem, and lodging fees.
4. Questions regarding the symposium should be directed to the SNA administrative office at (703) 960-6800 or visit www.navysna.org.
5. Released by Vice Admiral J. P. Aucoin, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Warfare Systems (N9).//