US NAVAL STATION SAN DIEGO –Naval Surface and Mine Warfighting Development Center (SMWDC) and the Center for Surface Combat Systems (CSCS) hosted 10 students school on 20-September-2019 in CIAT, the Navy’s newest combat trainer, or the Combined integrated Air & Missile defense/anti-submarine Warfare Trainer, to increase operator lethality of Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare Officers (ASWO).
The students will Fleet-up aboard the same ship to become ASWO, or they have orders to report as ASWO aboard warships homeported in San Diego, California; Everett, Washington; Rota, Spain; Norfolk, Virginia; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. CIAT represents the US Navy’s investment in modernized training. Over the past decade, advances in technology have reshaped the operational capabilities of US Surface Fleet –those same advances are now fundamentally transforming the way SMWDC and CSCS develop combat ready ships and battle-minded crews. “We’re excited to have our students in the CIAT lab for the very first time,” said Mr. Mo Okita, SMWDC Sea Combat Division’s Training Systems lead and course supervisor for ASW training. “In the Advanced ASW Officer course, we look to capitalize on the capabilities here in CIAT to deliver a warfighting training curriculum that is realistic, relevant, and just as complex as the threat environment our deployed ships are sailing into.”
Through the lab’s high fidelity threat modeling and scenario visualization, students are able to prosecute adversary submarines using the same consoles aboard their warships in a realistic training environment. The cooperative working relationship between SMWDC and CSCS Det San Diego, and the close proximity of the trainer are added benefits of using CIAT.
“There is so much capability here,” said Lt jg Betty Yi, who was selected to Fleet-Up as ASWO aboard USS Sterett (DDG 104). “We have transitioned from school house lectures to action-based scenarios. We are all walking away better prepared for deployment.” Warfare Tactics Instructors (WTI) at SMWDC and CSCS who teach Anti-Submarine Warfare/Surface Warfare (ASW/SUW) understand the significance of visualization. “The value of our training determines the success of Sailors,” said Lt Dan Walker, an ASW/SUW WTI assigned to CSCS Det San Diego. “We’re investing in the ASW curriculum and CIAT facility because we understand that when a ship leaves the pier – her mission could depend on it.”
The CIAT will be also be available to the ASWO graduates to ensure that their newly found proficiency is maintained. Lt jg Cara Pastrana, the prospective ASWO aboard USS James E. Williams (DDG 95) sees the value in bringing her future team back to CIAT for additional training. “CIAT is our answer to maintaining the tactical edge,” said Pastrana. “With the new CIAT facility in Norfolk, I plan to make training visits a priority for our team, we have to keep training.”
SMWDC is a subordinate command of Commander, Naval Surface Force, US Pacific Fleet. It exists to increase lethality and tactical proficiency of the Surface Force across all domains. SMWDC HQ is at Naval Base San Diego with four divisions in Virginia and California focused on ASW/SUW, Amphibious Warfare, Integrated Air and Missile Defense, and Mine Warfare.
CSCS headquarters’ staff oversees 14 learning sites and detachments located throughout the continental US, Hawaii, and Japan. It manages and operates a Naval Education and Training Command training division in Rota, Spain. CSCS delivers specialized training for officer and enlisted Sailors to tactically operate, maintain, and employ shipboard and shore-based weapons, sensors, and command and control systems utilized in today’s US Navy.