SEAPOWER Magazine The Official Publication of the Navy League of the United States VOL. 49, NUMBER 2 February 2006

20 Shaping the Future

Vice Adm. Charles L. Munns helps transform the submarine force to meet new commitments

As commander of the Navy’s submarine forces, Vice Adm. Charles L. Munns oversees the most powerful fleet of warships ever put to sea. As a submariner who cut his teeth in the cat-and-mouse conflict of the Cold War, Munns now is guiding the transformation of the submarine force to meet the challenges of the global war on terrorism, adapting his boats to take on a wide variety of missions worldwide for combatant commanders. He also is determined to maintain a credible, combat-ready submarine force — which he describes “as productive and as relevant today as it has ever been” — in the face of a stagnant shipbuilding climate.

Munns has served in five nuclear-powered attack and ballistic-missile submarines, commanding the fifth, USS Richard B. Russell, as well as a submarine development squadron, a submarine group and the submarine force of the U.S. Sixth Fleet. His staff assignments include chief of staff to the commander of the Pacific Fleet’s submarines and director of the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet.

Munns discussed the status and future of the Navy’s submarine force with Managing Editor Richard R. Burgess.

What force level is optimum for the roles and missions of the sub force?

MUNNS: A range of 45-50 [SSNs]. We’ve got 53 SSNs today, but a lot of those submarines are in deep-level maintenance. The 45-50 number is important because we will be able to continue doing what we’re doing today with those submarines.

Are there things you can do to make the sub force more available — and more valuable — to the combatant commanders?

MUNNS: Yes. The first is worldwide deployments. Last year, we sent a number of submarines from the Atlantic Fleet to the Pacific … and [they] did what they had to do, based upon the demand from the combatant commander. Second: tailoring each of those ships and crews as they leave for what their combatant commander wants. We’ll put on special equipment and people that they might need to do their mission and then train the standard crew into some of these special capabilities. The third is future capability. We’re working on communications at speed and depth that will allow the submarine to be much more effective in communicating with the joint force.

Any other developments look promising?

MUNNS: A conventional Trident missile is an initiative we’re working on. It adds a capability to our nation’s toolbox that is very precise and very quick. Also, unmanned undersea vehicles — a whole future of capability will be afforded as these technologies mature over time. And the last one is working with U.S. special [operations] forces. There’s a wealth of capability that we can provide.

Is there an interest in developing a replacement for the Trident SSBNs?

MUNNS: Yes. The Trident submarine has several decades of life left, but design and procurement and construction of submarines takes a long time. So we are now thinking about [a replacement] and will soon have to put programs in place to start the work on that design.

Is the Navy planning a follow-on to the Virginia-class SSNs?

MUNNS: The most effective and efficient course for our nation is, in my view, to continue building the Virginia-class SSN. However, we will look at modifying each [submarine] as we go forward to increase capability if that’s needed, but certainly to make the production of that ship most efficient. As we’ve looked at it, we think that it’s much more economical to keep going with Virginia and put our efforts in reducing its cost.

What is your assessment of the decision to base submarines in Guam?

MUNNS: Guam is a good initiative. Three [SSNs] on Guam is about the right number. More than three submarines will require additional infrastructure that is not there and also I think [poorly] positions our force, [detracting] from the rest of the world activity. If you’re a football team, you don’t want a whole team of wide receivers. You need to have a balance of all 11 players.

Do you foresee forward basing of submarines anywhere else?

MUNNS: I don’t see that. The advantage of the submarine is we can get around the world fast, under the ice or through the various straits of the world. You take that and you take the other counter-trend of U.S. forces coming back to the United States, having less of a footprint overseas, so I do not see us doing this in other places.

Has the submarine force adjusted well to the Fleet Response Plan?

MUNNS: We’ve sort of always operated this way, so this is really nothing new to us. When I was a young officer in my first submarine, we would be in port and get a call saying that something was happening in the world and would leave the next day, sometimes for a long time. [Submarines sent] forward on a rotational basis act as scouts and they can also take direct action if need be. It’s very similar to what we did during the Cold War.

Will the SSBN force continue to alternate its Blue and Gold crews to each sub?

MUNNS: Yes. The SSBN’s purpose is to remain survivable, should the president ever need it. So the best way to do that is to keep it at sea. The best way to keep it at sea is to have two crews. That’s the way the whole system is designed. The SSGN is the same ship, designed for a high optempo. We want the SSGN also to be forward, ready for use, so we are inclined to dual-crew that ship as well. It’s not the same case with the SSN, which is designed for less optempo. [With dual crews we would] force a much higher utilization at sea and shorten the life of the ship. That creates big problems in the out-years. That would mean we’d have to get more [Virginia SSNs].

Has the sub force experienced mission creep since 9/11?

MUNNS: I would not use the word mission creep. I don’t see a lot of new missions. I see new ways of doing the many current missions we already have. We provide capability across many missions and always have, going all the way back to World War II. The challenge is prioritizing which missions we work over the next few years and which ones we don’t. We’re in high demand, so when you’re in demand, you’ve got to just make sure you’re working on the most important things.