Dedicated MCM Force Issues: Force Structure & Modernization

Outline Role of Dedicated & Organic MCM Forces Dedicated Force Structure Requirements Recent Changes - Shifts in Planning Dedicated Force Modernization Future Transitions Conclusion

Organic and Dedicated MCM systems Today have separate roles MCM Roles (Organic vs. Dedicated) Organic MCM Systems – CVBG/ARG defense Locate & avoid potential threat areas Punch-Through / Egress if mine threat is encountered Dedicated MCM Forces – High level clearance of larger areas / multiple regions – Enable maritime force penetration and sustained operations in a mine threat environment – Follow-on Clearance for Joint & Strategic Objectives Joint / Combined Force access, logistics and sustainment Humanitarian Relief Resuming Commerce

MCM Capabilities (Organic vs. Dedicated) Organic Environment – Blue Water Capabilities – High Area Coverage Rate for Floating/Drifting Mines – Reconn for Moored/Bottom Mines – Limited Punch Through Supported Operations – Choke Point Egress – Limited CVBG/ESF OPAREAs Dedicated Environment – Blue Water (Deep) – Littoral (High Burial/Clutter) Capabilities – High Area Coverage Rate for Moored/Bottom Mine Reconn – Full Clearance of Large OPAREAs & Long Q-Routes – Rapid Sweep / High Clearance Levels for ALL Bottom Conditions Supported Operations – SPOD approaches/SLOCs – CVBG/ESF OPAREAs – Amphibious Assault – Strategic Sealift SPODs – C/J/MLOTs – TBMD/FSA Boxes – Harbors / Ports Organic & Dedicated MCM Systems Have Separate Capabilities in the Near Term

Environment Drives Tactics (Hunt vs. Sweep) (High Power) (Station Time/Combat Rad) Large Combat Radius, High Power, High Speed Sweeping Platforms Offer the Best Advantage for Maximum Clearance & Minimum Time / Risk in a Less than Optimal Environment (High Speed) Bottom Conditions (Clutter, Roughness, Burial) Excellent Poor Clearance Level (%) Blue Water Littoral (Brown Water)

HUNTING Level of Effort (How Bottom Conditions Effect Mine Hunting a Port Channel) ReconObjective64% ClearanceObjective95% Days Weeks Months Time to Clear Clearance Level (%) Type A1 Type B1 Type C1 Type D AMCMSweeping95%

Role of Dedicated & Organic MCM Forces   Dedicated Force Structure Requirements Recent Changes - Shifts in Planning Dedicated Force Modernization Future Transitions Conclusion

Dedicated MCM Force Performance in OIF Total Assets – 2 MCMRONs – CMWC OPDET – 2 AMCM Squadrons – 14 SMCM Ships (8 U.S. and 6 U.K.) – 8 U.S. EOD dets (plus U.K. and AUS dets) – NSCT ONE Umm Qsar Q-Route Effort – MCM missions conducted during ongoing combat operations – MH-53Es towing MK-106 mine sweeping sleds completed clearance against the bottom Influence threat in less than 2 Days – Allied SMCM Conducted Hunting Operations for Moored & Bottom Mines Conducted Channel Conditioning to clear remaining Bottom Objects – UMCM cleared Umm Qsar harbor – Interdiction was key to success Disrupted Iraqi Plan to lay hundreds of mines Fewer than 10 mines total were found

OIF vs. Other OPLANs OIF required clearance of 1 Q-Route Several OPLANs require over 5 times the Q-Route effort tasked in OIF Other tasks in addition to Q-Routes include: – Large OPAREAs CVOAs AOAs – Multiple TBMD / FSA areas – C/J/MLOTS areas CMWC force level analysis validates the need for the current level of AMCM, SMCM & UMCM Dedicated forces to execute a single OPLAN Current Dedicated Force Structure meets minimum requirements for DPG / OPLANs

Role of Dedicated & Organic MCM Forces Dedicated Force Structure Requirements   Recent Changes - Shifts in Planning Dedicated Force Modernization Future Transitions Conclusion

Recent Changes – Shifts in Planning New Environmental Data – Collected during USS Inchon WESTPAC ’01 deployment and during white hull surveys – Indicates poorer mine hunting conditions than estimated in original OPLAN analysis – Result: More sweeping is required than originally planned to achieve clearance objectives Level of effort & clearance timelines may increase Increasing Homeland Security/Defense Requirement – Operational planning now includes apportionment of dedicated for homeland defense

Role of Dedicated & Organic MCM Forces Dedicated Force Structure Requirements Recent Changes - Shifts in Planning   Dedicated Force Modernization Future Transitions Conclusion

AMCM Modernization Recent system upgrades are Highly Successful – Upgrade of the MK-106 Mod 4 was Critical to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF): System Availability significantly improved Accounted for ALL of U.S. sweeping in OIF Achieved the FULL clearance objective against the bottom threat in the Umm Qsar Q-Route in 2 days – AQS-14 Upgrade to AQS-24 provides I.D. capability, improved resolution and higher system reliability MH-53E SLEP is required to continue Dedicated AMCM capability beyond 2008

SMCM Modernization Re-Engining is required NOW & is Behind schedule – Both engine types I.F. & Waukesha require replacement I.F. engine MTBF rate < 400 hrs Waukesha parts no longer available Sweep System upgrades – Acoustic Sweep – Mag Cables – Stern Hydraulics Other Combat Systems – Com/Nav upgrades – SQQ-32 Software – OK-520 Winch ILS Support – Too many parts are not carried by supply system (J-Coded) – Long lead time due to: Not readily available in the commercial market Required to be manufactured with special alloys (non-ferrous)

UMCM Modernization Continue to fund 8 MCM EOD Det & MMS Capability Fully Field NSCT ONE Capability – Small Boats – UUVs

Role of Dedicated & Organic MCM Forces Dedicated Force Structure Requirements Recent Changes - Shifts in Planning Dedicated Force Modernization   Future Transitions Conclusion

Near Term (Next 5 Yrs) Near Term (Next 5 Yrs) Organic systems will have taken over 15 years to develop and deliver if they remain on schedule for fielding in FY06. Organic systems will provide the Battle Group with a critical MCM capability that it does not have today. However: – Organic systems are hunt centric, designed/optimized for operations in an excellent hunting environment – Marginal to Poor environmental conditions exist in the majority of OPLAN littoral areas – in these areas Organic system performance will be degraded Dedicated systems must be FULLY resourced in the near term to preclude capability gaps and increased risk to OPLANs

Mid Term (5 – 10 Yrs) Mid Term (5 – 10 Yrs) It is envisioned that several years of additional development will be required before technology will enable MCM systems to operate on smaller Organic platforms and meet / exceed today’s Dedicated system capability. During the Mid term: – Dedicated & Organic capability will be required – Technology advances envisioned to enable Far term shifts in roles (merge of systems, platforms) Near & Mid term capability must include both Dedicated & Organic systems

Dedicated Force Requirement Near / Mid Term (5 – 10 Yrs) – Maintain & Modernize Dedicated Forces in High Risk Areas Prevent Gaps in Capability Both Dedicated & Organic systems and platforms can leverage off of new technology – Field Organic capability to perform the Organic Role Far Term (> 10 Yrs) – Merge Dedicated and Organic Forces

Conclusion Organic and Dedicated MCM systems have separate roles Today: – Organic: CVBG/ARG defense in lower threat deep water (Reconn & Punch-Through) – Dedicated: Full/Sustained Clearance in littoral & blue water environment Larger-scale maritime operations Supports Joint/Combined operations Significant technology advances must occur before Organic will be able to perform Dedicated force capabilities Dedicated MCM force structure is minimum required for DPG. Any reduction in Dedicated forces in the Near Term will result in increased risk to OPLAN execution Recent changes place increased demand on Dedicated forces – New environmental data indicates poorer mine hunting conditions in all AORs – Homeland Security / Defense requirement increasing Dedicated forces require continued modernization to ensure readiness CMWC Priorities: – AMCM SLEP – SMCM Re-Engining and Combat System Upgrades – UMCM full NSCT Capability Organic does NOT replace Dedicated in near or mid term Organic does NOT replace Dedicated in near or mid term Dedicated requires continued modernization Dedicated requires continued modernization

Questions?

Ship of Opportunity (Integrated USMC/MCM Force Package) Integrated USMC / MCM Force Package is being developed / validated – CMWC working with MCCDC – Next validation during west coast JTFEX – Follow-on validation during east coast JTFEX with HSV and SoO Structure – MCM triad AMCM, SMCM, UMCM (Incl NSCT ONE) Intel / Logistics / IMA support – ACE – – Infantry Battalion Missions – MCS for MCM triad C2 with Flag and/or MCMRON Staff(s) embarked Force protection for MCM assets – ISR – Special Operations / Exploitation – MIO (incl monitoring for re-seeding) – Green/Blue Crown