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Cherry
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Last Login: 4/26/2007 5:43 PM
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Inshore Guardians
The United States Navy will soon be expanding its naval coastal warfare (NCW) counter-terrorism resources in an effort to enhance the force protection levels of port facilities and other high-value assets.
By Scott R. Gourley
Both MIUWUs and IBUs participate in these global deployments.
As an example of this team approach, on December 4, 2002, MIUWU 114, IBU 14 and IBU 16 all mobilized per Deployment Order (DEPORD) 172. The units subsequently departed North Island Naval Air Station on December 13, and arrived in Kuwait the following day. On December 16, the newly arrived units began to set up seaward security at the ship point of debarkation (SPOD) with MIUWU 114 assuming the seaward security role on December 17.
Three days later, MIUWU 106, IBU 15 and IBU 17 were also mobilized per DEPORD 175, arriving in Kuwait on December 31. On January 10, 2003, MIUWU 114, IBU 14, IBU 16 completed the turnover of seaward security at the SPOD to MIUWU 106 and IBUs 15 and 17 (as well as Harbor Defense Command Unit (HDCU) 114).
In this one example, IBU 15 (based in Corpus Christi) and IBU 17 (based in New Orleans) protected coalition ships and combat equipment during both the pre-combat and combat phases of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Assigned to protect the SPOD, where more than 90 percent of the combat equipment used in the war was offloaded, the two units are credited with conducting more than 9,000 hours of patrols and 500 escort operations.
Although these units and other reserve forces performed extremely well in these types of operations, a combination of operational tempo considerations and expanding force protection requirements around the world have led Navy planners to expand the capabilities to the active component.
Over the past few months, the service has begun the process of standing up Naval Coastal Warfare Squadron 5, a new active duty unit that will initially include MIUWU 501 IBUs 51 and 52. Advance elements of the new unit participated in the combined exercise in a lessons learned capacity.
“Our job here for the MIUWU is harbor defense and our mission is to protect a high-value asset by making sure that we keep a clear surface contact picture,” said Lieutenant Kathy St. Laurent, assistant officer in charge of MIUWU 501. “We report that up our chain. We also have inshore boat units under our tactical control. And if we see a contact of interest we can vector those boats out to gain more information on that contact, in order to protect our high-value asset. That high-value asset might be ships anchored out in the harbor. It might be equipment here in the port. Our job is anti-terrorism/force protection for port facilities.”
“We are mostly an outside of the continental United States [OCONUS] asset, meaning that we will be forward deployed,” she continued. “But we can assist here inside the continental United States as necessary. That job is usually handled by the Coast Guard but we can supplement them as necessary.”
Tools
Within the naval coastal warfare squadrons, the MIUWU’s surface contact picture is obtained through a combination of sensor platforms and systems, including a vehicle-mounted mobile sensor platform (MSP) and a portable sensor platform (PSP).
The HMMWV-based MSP features a rotating radar supplemented by a combination of very high-resolution camera and a thermal imaging camera, to provide day/night capabilities. The PSP, which also provides a radar image, can be towed into optimum location for point defense/point surveillance.
Data from the two platforms is fed to a van-based radar sonar surveillance center (RSSC). Inside the RSSC, a graphic data fusion system (GDFS) fuses the radar plot with a map of the harbor area.
Although the MIUWU’s main job involves monitoring the surface picture, the unit also has the capability to lay out an array of sonobuoys to listen for undersea contacts. Once the network identifies an unknown target, data is provided to the squadron’s IBUs.
“The mission of the inshore boat unit—is a force-protection mission,” explained Lieutenant Commander Quincy Milton, who provided an introduction to the four IBUs participating in the August exercises. “[That includes] protection of amphibious anchorages; protection of harbors—things that are of high value to the United States Navy.”
Pointing to the unit’s floating platforms, he continued, “These boats are specifically designed for that mission. The 34-foot Sea Ark Navy patrol craft are designed specifically for inshore boat unit use,” he said. “They weigh about 10 tons apiece with two turbo-diesel motors aboard. We can drive it up to speeds of approximately 40 knots. There are four weapon stations onboard.”
Typical armament would be three machine guns: a heavy machine gun forward and then two medium machine guns aft—at either side. While three might be typical, the configuration of one forward-gun tub and three mounts aft would allow the boat to run with four weapons.
Prior to the arrival of the Sea Ark, the IBUs used craft like the 27-foot patrol boat built by Tacoma Boat Works in 1988. Deliveries of the Sea Arks began in January 2003, under an initial sequence of contracts for 36 boats (FY02), 29 boats (FY04), and 13 boats (FY05).
Designated as the Dauntless NCW-34 by Sea Ark Marine, each of the new patrol boats is powered by two Cummins 6BTA5.9M-3 diesels rated at 370hp with Twin Disc MG5075 gears and Konrad 520 drives.
Mike Caldwell, a marketing representative for Sea Ark, noted that the combination provides “performance fully loaded at 32 plus knots,” adding that the NCW-34s “utilize ‘Wing Inflatable collars’ exclusively.”
“Sea Ark Marine has been a family-owned and operated business for over 50 years and has been on the GSA contract schedule for more than 30 years supplying our armed forces around the world,” Caldwell added. “At Sea Ark each shop has an American flag hanging from the rafters. Each boat is delivered with a great deal of patriotism and a sense that they are not only the back bone of the company but, like many, the back bone of this country and extremely proud to have a small part in the global war on terror.”
The first active component naval coastal warfare squadron [Squadron 5] is projected for commissioning in San Diego in January 2006, and will be followed by the commissioning of a second active component squadron on the east coast six to eight months later.
"There is no such thing as a dnagerous weapon, only dangerous men."
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