Page 80 - Maritime Services and the Kill Web

The Maritime Services, the Allies and Shaping the Kill Web

And associated with the evolving challenge of target acquisition is shaping an effective decision making cycle
as well to deal with threats.

Hawkeye is clearly part of the decision making cycle but the overall evolution of executing this capability
against evolving threats is a work in progress.

For example, the Advanced Hawkeye has capabilities which are part of air and cruise missile defense and
working through the entire package of dealing with this threat is at the heart of the evolving training regime.
And the new emphasis on distributed lethality means that the role of forward operating assets such as
advanced Hawkeye are seeing a reworking of the role of the crews onboard an asset like Hawkeye in the
decision making loop.

We clearly saw this happening as well in the P-8-Triton community so that one can note that there is a
broader shift of emphasis on mission command within the fleet to sort out how different assets will play which
roles in the evolving battlespace.

Admiral Harris noted that the Admiral Swift, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, and his team were working hard
on the rethink on decision-making authorities.

According to Admiral “Hyfi” Harris: “What authorities should reside where and when?
“They are driving towards mission command which is crucial to deal with evolving threats.”

The E-2D is a software upgradeable aircraft and is a key player in shaping the ISR/C2 capabilities
operating from the carrier.

The F-35 coming to the carrier deck also has key radar capabilities, notably built by the same company,
Northrop Grumman, and working integration will provide a key opportunity to enhance the capabilities of the
CAG in supporting fleet operations.

Clearly, tools like Live Virtual Constructive training will become increasingly more important in training for the
extended battlespace and there is a clear need to work integration with live assets today with US and Allied
forces in order to lay down a solid foundation for something like LVC.
The team emphasized the need to have the advanced assets at NAWDC to allow for the kind of integrated
training, which is clearly necessary.

They would like to see E-2Ds and F-35Cs physically at NAWDC to allow for the kind of hands on experience,
which can build, integrated cross platform training essential for the development of the skill sets for
dominance in the 21st century battlespace.

One could also add, that the need to build ground floor relationships between code writers and operators
needs to include the TTP writers as well.

Hence, a different pattern is emerging whereby training is as much about combat development TTPs as it is
about single platform proficiency.
“The problem is right now, we don’t have aircraft here to fully develop cross platform integration, because we
don’t have enough time spent together to figure out the optimal direction to drive that kind of integration.”

With regard to a future Hawkeye, the team saw a clear benefit to making the next Hawkeye a jet.

Second Line of Defense

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