ASW without puke?! Not in my Navy!!

[Renegade One]

I'd bet every JO in my squadron would agree that we are infinitely better at ASW now than we were a year ago ...it's just that ASW is use it or lose it.

Better than a year ago? You guys ROCK! Uh...what was the benchmark a year ago?

"Use it or lose it"...I totally get that part.

 

[jmcquate]

For the VP guys, perhaps, but they're not the only ASW game in town, and other players (again, depending on coast/AOR) still practice it. As good as during the Cold War? Probably not, but all is not lost.

Let's not forget the Fast Attack bubbleheads

 

[MasterBates]

Yeah, where was that datum coming from? (To reiterate....I don't know shit from Shinola aboutASW....)

Lets just say I can think of at least 5 without thinking hard, and I've been "cleaning the garage" (read- drinking beer) since about noon, and haven't done much ASW other than being the "resident expert on LAMPS" for a couple CAG planning sessions in the last 6 years, there are plenty other than "holy shit, the DDG just blew up!"

 

[Renegade One]

Lets just say I can think of at least 5 without thinking hard, and I've been "cleaning the garage" (read- drinking beer) since about noon, and haven't done much ASW other than being the "resident expert on LAMPS" for a couple CAG planning sessions in the last 6 years, there are plenty other than "holy shit, the DDG just blew up!"

It won't be the DDG in plane guard...it'll be one or several of the unescorted CLF ships bringing fuel, ammo and FF&V to a wardroom near you...or not.
I wasn't thinking hard either...

 

[CommodoreMid]

Better than a year ago? You guys ROCK! Uh...what was the benchmark a year ago?

"Use it or lose it"...I totally get that part.

The deployment we just returned from was in 7th fleet where ASW was our main thing. The deployment a year before that we did counter drug ops and ISR. You take a guess at our proficiency levels.

 

[statesman]

The deployment we just returned from was in 7th fleet where ASW was SUPPOSED TO BE our main thing.

Fixed it for you.

 

[CommodoreMid]

Hahahaha, I've seen the FDNF briefs, I feel for you.

 

[scoolbubba]

It won't be the DDG in plane guard...it'll be one or several of the unescorted CLF ships bringing fuel, ammo and FF&V to a wardroom near you...or not.
I wasn't thinking hard either...

ASW happens in 7th fleet. Crews are proficient going into and coming out of 7th fleet, ie getting real world experience on non cooperative targets.

The IDRCs are driven to prepare you for the deployment you're going on; they cover everything according the the readiness matrix, but each individual squadron flexes to spool up the appropriate AOR specific skill set while maintaining ASW proficiency.

Crews work regularly with the battle group as part of that outer layer that you (while admitting you don't know shit about ASW) bemoan as non existent; however, getting retarded tasking when we work with them like "lay barrier X here" when we know that is not going to work and being told to shut up and color doesn't really encourage us to get away from the alone, unafraid, and on top mentality that's been beaten into the community.

 

[HAL Pilot]

Can we do an "Oprah Moment" here and be PURR-FECTLY honest? ASW will remain an atrophied skill-set until such time as there is/are one or more US-flagged, grey-hull "flaming datums" somewhere. Then we'll all have a "come to Jesus" moment...

I did an exercise out of Oceana in 1995 where the battle groups's Admiral gave us the carrier's tower freq and said "if you see a sub, fuck the recovery, go in and nail the bastard. The jets will get out of your way and I'll take care of the Air Boss." Sure enough I had a radar riser 5 miles astern of the carrier. We called on the tower freq that we were coming and ignored the "No you're not!" shouts from the Boss. Instead of a green flare, the sub surfaced and reported we got him seconds before he was going to fire. Boss was pissed, Admiral was ecstatic. And it wasn't pretty, but the jets did get out of the way. Oh, and we go to overfly the carrier at 200 feet right down the deck with our bomb bay doors open - just because we were there and could.

 

[ghost]

If you're only thinking of ASW in terms of airborne platforms, you're missing the bigger picture.

 

[Gatordev]

Absent the long-range (legacy P-3...future P-8 guys). you're all relegating it to the "Charlie's inside the wire!" construct. Too little...and too late. It's a "layered defense", yes? Who's doing the "outer layer"?

Speaking of helos, possibly. I get your point and if you're talking strictly CVN based helos, you're right. But there's other assets out there, as has been mentioned by several (like ghost, above). Also, just because the carrier is in the AOR doesn't mean all the helos are with it. There are tails out sniffing around with with an ASW bird looking, and they're not necessarily near the carrier. Finally, there's the P-x that's out there if it's the "right" AOR.

ASW can be broken down into 3 basic areas (this is just me talking, not any TTP stuff): planning/water space management (I just put myself to sleep typing that), using all the assets available in real time, effectively, and the actual button pushing to do the search/localization/tracking. When I hear about crews atrophying or "not as good" (which all may be true), I think of the button-pushing part. Maybe that's the wrong way to think of it, but I've always been on the operator side and not the planning/Alpha Sierra side.

 

[picklesuit]

Yeah, I agree to much of above...I can rig the shit out of a ship, and fly racetrack/orbits all day...might take two passes to hit an expendable right now

 

[Renegade One]

ASW happens in 7th fleet.

Good thing that's the only AOR with a submarine problem...I guess.

I did an exercise out of Oceana in 1995 where the battle groups's Admiral gave us the carrier's tower freq and said "if you see a sub, fuck the recovery, go in and nail the bastard. The jets will get out of your way and I'll take care of the Air Boss." Sure enough I had a radar riser 5 miles astern of the carrier. We called on the tower freq that we were coming and ignored the "No you're not!" shouts from the Boss. Instead of a green flare, the sub surfaced and reported we got him seconds before he was going to fire. Boss was pissed, Admiral was ecstatic. And it wasn't pretty, but the jets did get out of the way. Oh, and we go to overfly the carrier at 200 feet right down the deck with our bomb bay doors open - just because we were there and could.

Is this a "way too little..way too late" story? I'm happy the Admiral was ecstatic....and most enemy subs will always fire their torps AFTER they surface...

If you're only thinking of ASW in terms of airborne platforms, you're missing the bigger picture.

Admittedly...tell me more.

Finally, there's the P-x that's out there if it's the "right" AOR.

Can we all take a knee and pray to always be in "the right AOR"?

Standard R1 Caveat: I don't know shit from Shinola about ASW. Part of me is starting to wonder if anyone else really does either...

 

[MasterBates]

He surfaced because he was "dead". As in killed by HAL's torp run.

Sadly, anything but the most cursory overview of "how do we know where the enemy subs are" starts getting classified real quick.

I'm out of practice, but while we don't get as much real world practice as during your time, it is still the primary mission set for a bunch of people. Many of them don't have wings though.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Brett327]

I don't know shit from Shinola about ASW.

That's usually a good time to listen more than you pontificate.