Page 110 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

Of the 4 Objectives in the DoD’s EW Strategy, we like to say we achieved the “4th Objective” – to foster access,
enhance interoperability and grow warfighting capacity – at least at the operational and tactical levels.

This is Operational partnering. It’s easy to say “no,” or “you can’t,” much more difficult to say yes. We had
plenty of hurdles, some seeming impossible. I count significant “No’s” that were turned into yes.

A significant part of the presentation detailed how the integration of the RAAF with the US Navy Growler
force was achieved and in relatively compressed period of time.
This is a case study in many ways of the kind of integration, which the US and the core allies need to achieve
to have the kind of force multiplier effect from an integrated coalition force.

Figure 21 Four EA-18G Growlers arrived at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam before moving on to Australia, Feb. 16, 2017. (U.S. Air Force photo by
Tech. Sgt. Heather Redman)
This event is a great opportunity to mention some of the wins we’ve had in operationalizing our partnership in
Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA).

We at Whidbey Island and leaders in NAVAIR removed years of cultural barriers limiting collaboration in a short
amount of time.

That took people to lead and innovate. But that’s what it took to begin to operationalize a strategic AEA
partnership.

Our stated goal was to produce 100% fully capable & interoperable EA-18G wingmen, at all security levels.

At one point we had roughly 45 Australians invading the Pacific Northwest of the US making lasting
friendships… our neighbors… babies being born… We went “all in.” We formed personal relationships that
make the distance between Canberra and Pacific Northwest coast seem insignificant. Now look at what 6SQN did
during their IOT&E for Growler. Amazing.

CDR Paul outlined that the non-kinetic payload was growing in importance both for adversaries and the US
and allied forces, but that it was clearly different from a kinetic action.

Second Line of Defense

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