- Chapter 1 - Purpose and Need (158 KB PDF file)
The proposed action is to place undersea cables and transducer nodes in a 1,713-square-kilometer (500-square-nautical mile) area of the ocean to create an undersea warfare training range (USWTR) for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) training. The ASW training would involve up to three vessels and two aircraft using the range for any one training event, although events would typically involve fewer units. The instrumented area would be connected to the shore via a single trunk cable. The proposed action would require logistical support for ASW training, including the handling (launch and recovery) of exercise torpedoes (non-explosive) and submarine target simulators.
The purpose of the proposed action is to enable the U.S. Navy to train effectively in a shallow water environment (37 to 274 meters, or 120 to 900 feet, in depth) at a suitable location for Atlantic Fleet ASW capable units. The depth parameter for the range was derived from an assessment of the depth requirements of the platforms that would use the range, and approximate the water depth of potential areas of conflict that the Navy has identified.
There are four fundamental reasons why the Department of the Navy (DoN) requires an instrumented undersea warfare training off the east coast of the U.S.:
Worldwide Deployment Involving Littoral Conditions. Atlantic Fleet units deploy worldwide, and shifts in the military strategic landscape require increased naval capability in the world’s shallow, or littoral, seas, such as the Arabian Sea, the South China Sea, and the Korean Sea. Training effectively for these littoral environments requires the availability of realistic conditions in which actual potential combat situations can be adequately simulated.
U.S. World Role. The role of the U.S. in keeping critical sea lanes open makes it imperative that U.S. military forces are the best trained, prepared, and equipped in the world. ASW is a Navy core capability and is a critical part of that mission. The Navy is the only Department of Defense (DoD) service with an ASW responsibility, and must be trained and capable in littoral water operations to assure access for the U.S. and our allies to strategic areas worldwide.
Threat of Modern Diesel Submarines. The current global proliferation of extremely quiet submarines poses a critical threat to the maritime interests of the U.S. These silent diesel submarines, easily obtainable by potential adversaries, are capable of protracted, silent, submerged operations in confined, congested littoral regions where acoustic conditions make detection significantly more challenging than in deep water. These silent vessels can get well within ‘smart’ (i.e., self-guided) torpedo or anti-ship missile range of U.S. forces before there is a likelihood of their being detected by passive sonar “listening.” For this reason, use of, and training with, active sonar is crucial to today’s ASW, U.S. operational readiness, national defense, and homeland security. Such training is critical to our ability to deliver fighting forces overseas and to protect civilians and cargo in transit on the world’s oceans.
Mission Readiness and Fulfillment. The Navy's primary mission is to maintain, train, equip, and operate combat-ready naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression, and maintaining freedom of the seas. Training with the actual sensors and weapons systems aboard their own ship, submarine, or aircraft, in a complex and appropriate operational setting, and with a realistic scenario is key to maintaining Fleet combat readiness and to survival in actual wartime conditions.
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