Page 67 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

In short, NAWDC is a new type of combat training development command, which will be increasingly
integrated with other warfighting development centers in building the warfighter for 21st century combat
operations.

But it won’t happen without the right kind of investments, the right kind of shift in mindset and getting away
from the platform centric mentality.

And its full impact will be seen when TTPs can be key drivers of development, software and shape
modernization requirements going forward.

An Introduction to NAWDC: Captain Steinbaugh Provides an Overview

2017-08-14 By Edward Timperlake and Robbin Laird

During our recent visit to Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center or NAWDC, Captain Leif “Weed”
Steinbaugh, Director of Training at NAWDC, provided our first briefing which oriented us to the changes at
NAWDC since we last visited Fallon Naval Air Station in 2014.

Notably, the name had changed from Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center (NSAWC) to the Naval Aviation
Warfighting Development Center (NAWADC).

This change of name is very significant and represents a culmination of the work of the Top Gun era and the
laying the foundation for the integrated Warfighting approach for the distributed fleet, which the US Navy is
shaping with the fleet it has and the fleet, which is on the way.

Captain Steinbaugh has a significant background in Electronic Warfare and strike operations as well.

He first flew A-6s, then went to Prowler and then to Growler.

This is his fourth tour at Fallon as well. His first tour was with the strike department, the second he set up the
Growler department and the third was in the training department.

Captain Steinbaugh characterized NSAWC as follows:

“The focus was on proficiency with the platform, at the individual level with integration in the final week of Air
Wing Fallon.

“TTPs were approached from this perspective.

“Then as now we train the training officers for the Carrier Air Group or CAG.”
The name change reflects a strategic shift in the US Navy towards integrated Warfighting and, by definition
almost, because integration is crucial to success, to an enhanced focus on the high end fight.

NAWDC was the first of a series of Warfighting development centers which have been stood up and which
the Navy is leveraging for the evolution of the integrated Warfighting approach.

There are several Warfighting development centers: for surface and mine warfare, underwater warfare, for
information warfare, for expeditionary warfare.

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