"LET'S GO TO SEA"

One Crew, One Vision: The Multimission USS Seawolf
Interview with Cdr. H.H. Howard III, Commanding Officer, USS Seawolf.

Senior Editor Gordon I. Peterson interviewed Cdr. H.H. "Butch" Howard III during an underway embarkation on the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Seawolf following her crew's completion of a tactical readiness evaluation at the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation range off Andros Island in the Bahamas.

Cdr. Howard graduated from Auburn University in 1982 and received his commission after attending Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I. He has served on both nuclear-powered attack and fleet ballistic-missile submarines during his career, which included duty as executive officer of the USS Parche, a nuclear-powered attack submarine that earned three unit citations and three consecutive Battle Efficiency "E" awards during his time on board. He graduated from the National War College in 1999. Following the conclusion of his command assignment on USS Seawolf in July, Howard will serve on the staff of the chief of naval personnel in Washington, D.C.

Sea Power: Captain, perhaps you could begin by describing your four-day tactical readiness evaluation?

HOWARD: The tactical readiness evaluation, an annual assessment conducted by the Atlantic Fleet's submarine force type commander, is designed to put the ship and the crew through a simulated wartime scenario. The highly orchestrated scenario builds through various phases to cover just about every submarine-warfare mission that there is today--and then some!

The evaluation normally begins with navigation drills involving an unassisted landing [docking] at a pier in a simulated foreign port without the benefit of a tug's assistance. Then the crew must get underway to test its ability to maneuver the ship safely in constrained quarters. You go through various navigation drills and simulate running through a very restricted area where navigation and accuracy must be right on the money to get the ship safely out to sea.

During the outbound transit, tensions continue to build. You know that adversaries are waiting somewhere over the horizon, and you have to work aggressively to get the ship in a diving status so that you can submerge and turn the submarine into the stealthy machine that it truly is.

Along the way there is a steady variety of casualty drills. How is the crew going to respond to a fire in a compartment while your attention is focused on the tactical picture? How are you going to handle problems with your diving systems? It's a fore-to-aft, top-to-bottom stress of every functional element onboard the ship. Along with the drills we're really hitting tactics hard as well.

During one traditional submarine-tracking exercise, you are tasked to find another submarine, track it, and report its whereabouts to the battle group commander. This is an important sidebar--you're always working for a battle group commander throughout the entire four-day period. You must maintain communications with the boss of the battle group because you are working the nuances of water-space management associated with moving multiple submarines safely through the chunk of water that you're assigned.

Did the scenario include strike-warfare missions?

HOWARD: Yes. As tensions continued to build, the national command authority's initial response was to conduct a Tomahawk [cruise-missile] strike. This was simulated and, of course, more ship casualties were injected. The missile-launch systems were simulated as not working 100 percent, so you have to make necessary adjustments in order to fire the missile salvo that you have been tasked to shoot.

During the evaluation you can expect to see a variety of different ISR [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] missions. You may be tasked to conduct an intelligence-gathering mission against a ship or along a coastline. We were also tasked with running a simulated minefield to locate and identify mines and, obviously, report that information back to the battle group commander.

The evaluation culminates with a final day of torpedo-proficiency firings on the range down at AUTEC [Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center] using exercise torpedoes. We shoot against another submarine and some surface targets as well. Again, the evaluation entails a four-day stress of nearly all of the mission areas that the submarine force is currently assigned.

Based on the SUBLANT [Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet] evaluation team's debriefing, how did your inspection go?

HOWARD: The evaluation was a real success. The crew performed very well across the board. As with everything that we do in the submarine force, we always keep an eye on areas that require careful scrutiny. Inspections of any sort obviously include feedback in areas where additional emphasis is needed. This is key to continued process improvement--a fundamental way of doing business here in the submarine force. I'm really proud of the way that my men performed and executed their missions throughout this four-day training session.

You have a comparatively young crew, so the readiness exam also should help to build the teamwork so critical to successful combat operations.

HOWARD: Absolutely. Roughly 65 percent of the crew made their first deployment last year. This was also the first tactical readiness evaluation for this crew. The evaluation is really unique because it is so concentrated. The stress levels get high. That could be a particular concern if you're not clearly communicating to each other on a continuous basis. That was our watchword going into this examination--solid communications between the watch teams during turnover and transition, but also between members while they're on watch. The crew clearly learned a lot from this evaluation--about themselves and their capabilities. They came through with flying colors.

Before your first operational deployment began a year ago, Seawolf went through three years of post-construction testing, maintenance, and modification. Is that experience typical for a "first-in-the-class" submarine?

HOWARD: Yes, it is fairly standard. Every ship goes through fundamental phases of new construction testing followed by a post-shakedown availability. Seawolf was commissioned in July 1997. During her post-delivery shakedown period through August 1998, the crew went to sea, operated the ship, identified some design problems or new-construction shortcomings, and put together a comprehensive work package to be executed in the post-shipyard availability [PSA]. That PSA ran from August 1998 through November 1999, and it was a very intensive shipyard period conducted by Electric Boat in Groton [Conn.]. At the end of this PSA, we conducted operational and technical evaluations for the entire ship class. These evaluations lasted until June 2001. They were mandated by statutory requirements, and they are certainly not unique to Seawolf. Any new ship class is going to experience that type of operational evaluation as part of the Navy's acquisition-acceptance process.

What were some of the more important modifications made to the ship?

HOWARD: During the PSA period, the special "mold in place" hull treatment was applied, modifications were made to the torpedo tube door and launcher systems, and the total ship monitoring system was installed. The period between the PSA and the commencement of our first operational deployment last summer allowed us to verify the ship's mission-performance requirements. The final six months before the deployment covered the traditional submarine force pre-overseas movement certification period. My encouragement to the crew was simple: Let's go to sea!

During Seawolf's initial sea trials it was learned that her torpedo tubes would not operate correctly at high speeds. Did the modifications carried out during the PSA fix this problem?

HOWARD: Most definitely. In hindsight, the technical fix was relatively simple and easily solved the high-speed-launch issue. That problem--which did not really affect our warfighting capability--is a thing of the past.

Is the submarine force meeting the unique logistics and supply requirements associated with having just three ships in the Seawolf class?

HOWARD: Absolutely. Cost-effective material support for the three-ship class required an innovative and highly coordinated approach to assess and redesign the operational-support infrastructure. The changes have been operationally effective and have greatly reduced the supply support cost for the Navy and the Department of Defense.

This effort required a nontraditional material-support strategy for the class, and it's a direct reflection of the small number of ships. We don't have the same baseline, for example, as a Los Angeles class with 50 ships, nor the supply/demand history that we've been able to accumulate over the last 25 years that the [Los Angeles] ship class has been operating.

Did you have adequate supply support during last year's deployment?

HOWARD: Yes. Recognizing that this requirement would be an important issue for a class of just three ships, we worked closely with the Seawolf Program Office on the nontraditional material-support strategy. We identified 45 key systems that were potential showstoppers if we were to have significant degradations of their capabilities. We were able to focus on the onboard inventory of parts for those systems. We stocked some additional parts to mitigate any potential shortfalls in those areas. During last year's deployment, we actually used 22 parts out of the additional parts added to our inventory.

We also adjusted the range and the depth of the availability of spare parts on the shore side by checking the Navy and Department of Defense warehouses to identify parts unique to Seawolf for priority stocking.

Finally, NAVSEA [the Naval Sea Systems Command], NAVICP [Navy Inventory Control Point], and DLA [Defense Logistics Agency] forged alliances with industry to ensure reliable supply support for the Seawolf class. All of these efforts were tackled at an early phase in the ship's service--prior to our first overseas deployment.

There is a punch line: Seawolf had the best supply performance statistics of all Atlantic Fleet submarines deployed in 2001. These supportability initiatives, which have proved to be so successful for Seawolf, may, in fact, become the norm for supporting new classes of ships and submarines as they enter fleet service--including the Virginia class [of nuclear-powered attack submarines].

You were conducting a maintenance-availability port visit in Faslane, Scotland, on 11 September--nearly three months into your deployment. What impact did the terrorist attacks have on your crew and the remainder of what proved to be Seawolf's first war patrol?

HOWARD: First and foremost, like all Americans, there was the shock of recognizing that our country had been attacked. New York City is a mere two hours away from New London, and several crewmembers are from the New York area. We had an obvious concern for the safety and welfare of their family members. Of course, we all have friends and former shipmates in the Washington, D.C., area as well.

We worked back through our parent squadron and confirmed that all of our family members had escaped harm. Before this information arrived, I made it known to the crew that we were going to get underway early, in less than 24 hours. There was total resolve and focus on the mission at hand. We knew that we were out on the pointy end of the spear and in a position to respond to the attacks against our country. Very, very few questions were asked. We had been through the drill of getting the ship underway.

The crew really turned to, and we finished the maintenance scheduled for our mid-deployment availability in Faslane. Our British hosts were exceptionally supportive. In short order we had all hands back on board and were ready to go to sea.

There was certainly a very different look in the eyes of every crewmember--reflecting their serious and professional understanding that we were on the front lines for a reason. There also was curiosity about where we were going to go and what we were going to do. We did not have an immediate answer, but I was very happy with the way that the crew responded. In times of tragedy and challenge, their teamwork and discipline came shining through.

What was unusual about that patrol?

HOWARD: The deployment highlighted Seawolf's exceptional multimission capabilities. We were tasked to execute several of the fundamental submarine force missions­ISR, strike, undersea warfare, surface warfare--and we fulfilled all of those varied missions with 100 percent contributions to the taskings at hand.

We were also redirected mid-course in the Atlantic to enter a second theater of operations in the Mediterranean. We were recognized as the most capable and proficient platform at sea with enough time remaining in our deployment to fulfill that goal. This was a significant transition, because our training was originally directed toward the North Atlantic. Tasked originally to conduct an independent training mission in the North Atlantic, we suddenly found ourselves assigned to the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group and heading east.

Supported by our squadron staff in New London and the submarine group staff in Naples, Italy, we quickly got up on the step for battle group operations. We made the transition in a very seamless manner and played what I would describe as a critical role in the Mediterranean.

During our time in the Mediterranean we also participated in the ship's first NATO exercise, so it gave us an opportunity to show our allies some of the capabilities that the Seawolf class of submarines has to offer.

How well did Seawolf perform against the diesel submarines of our NATO allies?

HOWARD: Seawolf and its sensors performed very well--very well. We proved the effectiveness of all of the ship's acoustic sensors against a Spanish diesel submarine. The overall exercise was challenging. Its location in the Strait of Gibraltar was a very high-contact and dense environment in terms of surface shipping. From an undersea-warfare perspective, the addition of surface warships using active sonar made the background noise that much louder and created a very complicated antidiesel problem.

What missions did you conduct as part of the war on terrorism?

HOWARD: I can't speak to any of the classified aspects of our mission, obviously, but suffice to say we fully employed the attributes of the submarine's ability to operate in a totally covert manner. We had a long dwell time on station and, in a nutshell, we ensured our Navy's access and domination of the undersea battle space. We provided the battle group and theater commander with the ability to strike by surprise.

Take a picture of Seawolf and hang it on the bulkhead as the poster child for a deployment and rigorous submarine-force training. When you look at Seawolf's first deployment, it reflects the fact that submarine-force training works.

You were certified for Tomahawk strike missions during your operational deployment. How has this land-attack capability changed the face of undersea warfare for the submarine force?

HOWARD: Strike planning and execution is one of many missions performed by our submarine fleet. Undersea superiority, ISR, battle-space preparation, global deterrence, and covert early strike are but some of the main missions.

As with any other mission, a strike requires extensive training and practice to do it effectively. Our submarine force has developed tremendous capabilities over the past few years to support this mission. The ships, their communication systems, and the combat-control systems have all evolved tremendously.

Seawolf is no exception. We have the largest TLAM [Tomahawk land-attack missile] capacity of any submarine in the world--50 weapons--and the most rapid salvo capability. We can launch eight weapons at a time in under two minutes. We can reload quickly to put eight more missiles in the tubes to restore that strike capability rapidly for the battle group commander. The ship has a very robust combat-control system with deep redundancy and a very capable communications suite.

Close-in covert strike is one of submarine warfare's strategic pillars. Victory in undersea warfare has urgency today because it gains for submarines the sanctuary to raid land objectives with Tomahawk strikes and special forces.

How does "the Wolf" compare with other attack submarines that you have served on during your career?

HOWARD: I autograph photos of Seawolf: "Welcome aboard the Ferrari of the undersea fleet!" In addition to being the fastest submarine in the ocean today, Seawolf is also the quietest. During exercises against Los Angeles-class boats and Trident [fleet ballistic-missile] submarines, we repeatedly demonstrate that we are invisible. The commanding officers who oppose us in our sub-on-sub exercises attest to that.

In addition to our speed and long sea legs, Seawolf also has some tremendous capabilities in its fire-control system--a completely integrated sonar, fire control, and navigation system that is very deep in redundant features and easily reconfigured should there be a fault in any particular section of the system.

I mentioned our torpedo room with its capacity for 50 weapons. That is twice the weapons loadout of a Los
Angeles-class boat. Another substantial asset is that the Seawolf has an automatic ship-control feature that is leading the way toward what will be used on the Virginia class. I could go on, but my point is this: The Seawolf is one of the most potent warfighting platforms in the world today.

Some observers claim that Seawolf's "Cold War design" is so far superior to anything else on the waterfront today that it is too sophisticated for the 21st century's national-security environment. How would you reply?

HOWARD: If you could look into the future and guarantee that no potential adversary would make additional warfighting progress in undersea warfare, Seawolf's mission capabilities would still be absolutely vital to U.S. national security today. During our initial deployment we demonstrated the ship's ability to respond to fast-paced changes in operational taskings directed by the national command authority, the theater commander in chief, and our battle group commander.

Seawolf's flexibility, speed, stealth, mobility, and firepower are indispensable if the United States is to dominate the undersea battlespace--today and tomorrow. We proved the ship's ability to operate in the littorals and deep water, and to operate in conjunction with the battle group and with our NATO allies. Seawolf is extraordinarily well suited for 21st-century peacetime and wartime missions.

Submarine communications--connectivity--was a limiting factor during battle group operations in the past. Is Seawolf a full player today?

HOWARD: Yes. There are two ways to speak of connectivity. In a traditional sense all players in the battle space must have the ability to communicate with one another. Seawolf's communications systems are very capable. The measure of effectiveness is that we were a full-fledged fighting member of the TR [Theodore Roosevelt] Battle Group.

Another way to look at connectivity is to consider the distinctive communication capabilities of this particular platform. As soon as I knew that we were going to be working with the Theodore Roosevelt Battle Group, I sent a message to its commander [Rear Adm. Mark P. Fitzgerald]. It was a rather detailed message identifying some of Seawolf's unique attributes. I tried to convey a sense of the areas where we could contribute so the battle group commander would have a better understanding of what Seawolf would bring to the fight.

Clearly, Admiral Fitzgerald received and understood that message. We had a chance to talk about Seawolf's employment during our time with the battle group. He had a full understanding of the capabilities of the special asset he had under his command.

Do Sailors undergo special training on the Wolf?

HOWARD: Yes. There is limited Seawolf-unique training in submarine school, so our new crewmen learn the basics of the nominal 688 [Los Angeles] class. When they arrive here, they have an image in their mind of how things should work based upon that 688 example. They must learn to compensate for the differences. That requires the average crewmember to work a little harder. He might understand fundamental principles well, but the specific knowledge and procedures for operating the equipment on Seawolf are different and must be mastered.

With that reality in mind, we rely heavily on the teamwork concept. Every time I present a crewmember his dolphins [submarine-warfare insignia], I also congratulate the crew on its efforts to help the individual qualify. It is a team effort. An individual simply can't learn everything by himself. We adhere to a "sea daddy" mentor program. More senior, qualified men will help guide the less-experienced and nonqualified submariners through the qualification process. It has proved to be very effective. It might sound trite, but we really operate under the concept of "one crew, one vision." That motto says it all.

What is the most important quality you want in a submariner?

HOWARD: Integrity--without a doubt. I must know that I can trust every crewmember, officer and enlisted, to do the right thing. Doing the right thing is not necessarily as simple as following a procedure. Recognizing when things are going wrong and having the intestinal fortitude to tell your boss that you have made a mistake is also an important part of integrity and moral courage.

If I can see integrity in a man's face, it allows me to sleep a little easier. Our people come from varied backgrounds and upbringings. Very early in our indoctrination process, the words integrity and teamwork are emphasized prominently. You are just an individual until you are part of a team, and being part of the Seawolf team is far more important than being an individual.

What would you tell a prospective recruit or a young Sailor who might be contemplating service in the submarine force?

HOWARD: When I look back at the 20 years that I've spent in the Navy I am amazed by the things that I have done, the places that I have visited, and the responsibilities that I have held in the submarine force. If you want to work hard, have a true sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, and belong to an elite group of individuals in a fraternity that is unparalleled by any other, then you should sign on for the submarine force when you visit a Navy recruiting station!

Your command of Seawolf will conclude in July. What thoughts will go through your mind when you depart the boat for the final time?

HOWARD: I know that when I leave Seawolf she will be judged a better place than when I came here--and that's not me beating my chest. That is an honest assessment of the performance of the crew over the last two years. It is a reflection on what the crew--the team--has been able to accomplish and sustain in the execution of their daily work. I look at the people who will form the crew on Seawolf for years to come and I am mindful of the institutionalized processes that have been set in place. I am very, very proud of what the ship and her crew have accomplished.

From the impressions I've gained during my time on board, you have every reason to be proud of your ship and your crew. In closing, is there anything else that you would care to say?

HOWARD: I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the support that the Navy League has extended to Seawolf, especially its Akron-Canton Council in Ohio. These outstanding men and women have sponsored our submarine, and I can't say enough for what their support and encouragement means to all of us who serve on the Wolf. Thank you! *