When the BMD ships are on deployment, how do you measure their effectiveness? What kind of metrics do you use?
Wolstenholme: On the US side, we run weekly BMDEXes – Ballistic Missile Defense Exercises. We do all this synthetically, and we’ll run a scenario where they will be in the architecture receiving tracks and they go through the required steps to do the mission. We have integrated Aegis Ashore Romania into these weekly exercises in January 2016, so she’s in the weekly exercises operating with the ships.
Are these “no notice” surprise exercises?
As of now they’ve all been planned. They allows us to take a look at the ship’s proficiency, measure how good they’re doing, provide them feedback on things that they need to improve upon. This gives them the opportunity to work with one another in support of the mission. We’re doing this on a weekly basis to maintain the proficiency.
How’s it gone so far?
The training has been very productive. CTF 64 oversees the BMDEXes from the Navy side, but our Army and Air Force brethren up in Germany are intimately involved in these events. We have the 603rd Air and Space Operations Center up in Germany who have the mission on the US side, and these exercises are run from there.
For the deploying watch teams, it’s Type 2 Sea Duty. They don’t get sea pay because they’re not actually underway, but they do get sea duty credit. Installation personnel are on one year unaccompanied tours.
What assets do they have?
They oversee the BMD mission, with the TPY-2 belonging to the Army and the Aegis ships and Aegis Ashore being the maritime component. They have the entire mission, both maritime and ground, in support of ballistic missile defense. That includes Patriot, THAAD, TPY-2, and all of the things that make up the overall BMD network.
Vice Adm. James Foggo III, right, commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, hands Capt. Jeffrey Wolstenholme the Commander, Task Force 64 (CTF 64) guidon during the command’s establishment ceremony at U.S. Naval Support Activity Naples March 24, 2016. CTF 64 is responsible for executing operational and tactical integrated air and missile defense, providing direct support for Aegis ballistic missile defense planning to Commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe and Commander, Allied Air Command. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Corey Hensley
Those Air Force personnel must rely on the Navy for that maritime expertise, and how Aegis works and how it fits in.
Absolutely. CTF 64 provides UTCOs – Upper Tier Coordinators – to the AOC as we currently possess the only upper tier capability in the theater.. Our mission is in the upper tier – the threat is exoatmospheric – outside the atmosphere.
The Patriots are lower tier – they’re not in space but inside the atmosphere. The totality of it is both upper and lower tier. So the watch teams at the 603rd AOC have to understand Aegis and how we do upper tier, because they’re overall in charge of the mission. So we provide training; they go to various courses; and we host seminars here to educate them on Aegis. We have a very close relationship with the 603rd AOC for this mission.
Are the crews at Deveselu the first to deploy, or have we already had a rotation?
We’ve had multiple rotations, starting in 2015. They’re on site for six months, and we’re coming up on the back end of the remaining teams that are going out there for the first time.What we’re finding is the Sailors really like this mission. They’re very focused on one mission, and they like the stability of the schedule. Unlike a ship, where the ship schedule changes all the time – because of workups, or something broke, it’s delayed or the deployment gets extended – we don’t have any of those schedule changes with Aegis Ashore. They know when they’re going to leave to fly out there, and they know at the end of that 6-month deployment they’re going to fly back and have a year back home. So it enables family stability. The Sailors like it, and they’re already asking how they can sign up to do Poland when that becomes operational.
Do the Sailors need to have Aegis experience?
The Aegis Ashore Sailors will have had shipboard experience prior to coming into this. But in addition to the Combat System and Operations ratings, we do have a fair amount of Master-at-Arms (MAs) out there doing the security mission for the installation. They don’t necessarily have to have shipboard experience before they go out there. We’ve got a couple of MA Sailors at Deveselu on their first tour. We do not send a brand new Sailor to stand watch on the weapon system, so we prefer to have them come off a ship.
If you’re a CO of an Aegis BMD ship, you’re going to be ecstatic to get this person – because he or she is truly a BMD expert who lived and breathed BMD for the past three years. They understand the BMD mission and the European mission. We’re building a cadre of BMD experts.
Is it considered sea duty or shore duty?
For the deploying watch teams, it’s Type 2 Sea Duty. They don’t get sea pay because they’re not actually underway, but they do get sea duty credit. Installation personnel are on one year unaccompanied tours.
Are the Sailors ordered to Dam Neck?
Your orders will say Aegis Ashore Romania or Aegis Ashore Poland, but your homeport is Dam Neck.
When these Sailors roll back to sea, will they be especially qualified for Aegis BMD?
If you’re a CO of an Aegis BMD ship, you’re going to be ecstatic to get this person – because he or she is truly a BMD expert who lived and breathed BMD for the past three years. They understand the BMD mission and the European mission. We’re building a cadre of BMD experts. I’ve told the crews in Romania that there shouldn’t be anyone in the Navy smarter on ballistic missile defense than they are, because this is what they are focused on. So if I was a CO of an Aegis BMD ship, and I saw one of these Sailors come on my ship, I’d be very happy.