soapbox

Sea Technology, Apr 2008 by Molchan, Marianne

What Do You Get When You Cross the 'Blue Water' and 'Brown Water' Navies? - Marianne Mokhan

What threat caused 200 percent more ship casualties than all other sources combined since 1950? Mines. Those small yet devastating weapons in an aggressor's arsenal have moved to the forefront of all threats to shipping. They are readily available, and yet, they are the threat we are least capable of dealing with.

Why do I stay up nights worrying about this?

My nickname used to be the "Bomb Mom," which I earned by being both an explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) U.S. Navy diver and a mother raising two beautiful sons who might someday go into harm's way.

In the course of my training, I learned how deadly improvised explosive devices (IEDs) can be and how easily they can be deployed in a harbor.

We trained primarily for overseas deployments. Imagine my surprise after 9/11 when I used my demolition school notes for domestic port security issues (issues like blast zones, net explosive weight and size and shape of underwater mines were becoming domestic areas of concern).

Why is this so important to the Sea Technology community? And what are we doing about it?

Currently, here is what we know about the threat: terrorists are training in scuba and mixed gas diving rigs, there are similarities between terrorist and piracy tactics and capabilities, there have been multiple arrests of drug traffickers in homemade submarines within the past year, small boat attacks and probes on both commercial and military vessels have; occurred within the past year, literature has surfaced since 9/11 describing a clear intention to use underwater explosives on ship hulls and there are increased sales of recreational diver propulsion vehicles and mini-submarines worldwide.

Let's face it: The World War Ii (blue water) mine threat has changed. The capabilities and technologies exist to deal with today's (brown water) threat. Sea Technology readers are intimately involved with these capabilities.

In 2006, Commander Mine Warfare-Command merged with Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Command and became Naval Mine and Antisubmarine Warfare Command (NMAWC), in an effort to better align mine warfare doctrine, training and requirements in accordance with proven fleet processes. This marriage merges blue and brown-water navies.

Under the direction of NMAWC, the National Defense Industrial Association Undersea Warfare Division is conducting a "Port U-IED Capability Study: Methods and Techniques for the Defeat of Underwater improvised Devices in Port and Harbor Environments."

One of many questions posed to the study participants in January was what in-service, programmed and alternative technologies; systems; platforms; concept of operations; and tactics, techniques and procedures can help NMAWC address the threat of mines and underwater IEDs in U.S. ports, harbors and waterways?

The Coast Guard has the responsibility to protect domestic ports against attack, but not the capability for EOD. The Navy NMAWC has the capability, but not the domestic responsibility. Given the Navy's limited assets for domestic issues, response time is also an issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has the historical database and the responsibility to conduct hydrographie' surveys of the ports in the United States (a key component for change detection).

The Navy, Coast Guard and NOAA are actively pursuing the development and/or purchase of a variety of new portable platforms, sensing and communication technologies to better respond to the asymmetric underwater threat. Here is the good news:

The Navy and Coast Guard leadership, over the past five years, have reorganized and developed assets and tactics which take advantage of advancements in manned and unmanned underwater vehicles.

Port authorities are listening carefully to the threat, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is bringing real money to the port security technology table.

Many smaller companies that develop and sell marine technologies are providing relevant solutions for DHS money.

The EOD and salvage communities are conducting exercises with Coast Guard and civilian port security communities. EOD Mobile Unit 1 and littoral combat ship mission packages; are championing technologies to respond to the brown-water asymmetric threat.

The government, recognizing the value in agile mine countermeasure, (MCM) systems, is moving away from the traditional cumbersome and centralized MCM solutions of the past.

In the process of crossing the blue and brown-water navies, we are in a transition that requires knowledge of the threat, new tactics and new technologies.

When we have successfully achieved a merger of the two navies, everyone wins. The window is open wider now, for technology providers, than it has been in a decade to make a difference.

The right answers may come from smaller and more responsive companies. The Sea Technology community is well positioned to help provide appropriate solutions to fill the MCM technology gaps.