ARLINGTON, Va.. – “ “Our first priority is making sure the strategic weapons system we have today remains the most credible deterrent,” said Vice Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe, Jr, Director of Strategic Systems Programs (SSP).
“We will never mortgage away the future of strategic deterrence.”
This was the message that Wolfe imparted to the audience gathered at the Naval Submarine League Annual Symposium and Industry Update held at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City, November 13-14.
Representatives from across the Navy submarine force and supporting partners gathered at the annual symposium to provide insight into how the Navy is aligning with CNO’s NAVPLAN 2024, in areas from widget-making to sea based strategic deterrence. The NAVPLAN, a distillation of CNO’s priorities and strategic guidance for the Navy, focuses on two end goals which have prompted discussion across the submarine and strategic deterrence enterprise: readiness for the possibility of conflict with China by 2027, and enhancing the Navy’s long-term advantage.
Leaders from SSP, Naval Reactors, Submarine Force, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) Office, and more, used the symposium as an opportunity to communicate how their organizations were integrating CNO’s priorities, moving with a sense of urgency to combat current and near-term threats, while keeping a steady eye on the horizon for challenges in the rapidly evolving global environment.
“As the world has changed around us, we are looking at how we have to think differently about this business,” said Wolfe, referring to the challenges faced by all corners of the strategic deterrence community.
In alignment with the NAVPLAN, SSP is “prioritizing balance” when fulfilling sustainment and modernization requirements for the strategic weapons system, as well as other programs in its portfolio.
Sea based strategic deterrence, achieved through the existing Trident D5 Life Extension (D5LE) weapon system deployed on Ohio-class SSBNs is America’s “anchoring power,” according to Wolfe, and the most reliable tool in the nation’s toolkit for deterring major-power conflict. Not only is the D5LE currently deployed on Ohio-class SSBNs, it will be the initial system deployed on the next-generation Columbia-class SSBNs when they begin their strategic patrol in the 2030s. Simultaneously, SSP is developing the Trident D5LE2 program to meet requirements to modernize the strategic weapon system and to provide future missile inventory for the Columbia-class SSBNs for the 2040s and beyond.
Since 1955, SSP has been charged with the design, development, production, and life-cycle maintenance of the nation’s sea-based nuclear weapons. As the sea-based deterrent leg has grown over the years to approximately 70 percent of deployed capability, Wolfe keenly understands the responsibility of maintaining the Navy’s nuclear deterrent to ensure U.S. national defense.
“We can never forget that what we have today - 70 percent of the U.S. deterrent - is the foundation and bedrock of what our nation and allies count on,” said Wolfe, who went on to discuss how SSP, and every other program supporting the Navy’s strategic deterrence capability, needs to constantly self-assess whether it is moving at the speed of relevance in the context of China’s nuclear build-up and Russia’s aggression.
“For the last 69 years [SSP] has had a singular focus …,” said Wolfe, speaking of the generations of submarine launched ballistic missile capabilities from the first Polaris through today’s Trident II D5LE.
“But now, we have different mission sets and platforms that SSP is working on in response to the global environment.”
Strategic deterrence, a term previously used almost exclusively in reference to nuclear weapons systems, has expanded to include a range of non-nuclear programs, including Conventional Prompt Strike - the Navy’s non-nuclear hypersonic weapon program expected to be fielded on Zumwalt-class destroyers in the late 2020s and Virginia-class SSNs in the 2030s.
“If you want to talk about a sense of urgency and pace to get a program developed, tested, and out to the warfighter, it’s Conventional Prompt Strike,” said Wolfe.
Speaking to the industry partners in attendance, he praised Conventional Prompt Strike as an example of a government and industry effort that came together rapidly and efficiently in the face of challenges such as establishing a hypersonic industrial base to support CPS from the ground up and managing through Covid-19 in the midst of a steep development timeline.
“We stood up a workforce that did not previously exist,” said Wolfe.
As SSP is asked to take on additional new development, Wolfe sees lessons learned from the early days of CPS that will inform how future development programs are stood up.
Matt Sermon, Executive Director of PEO SSBN, agreed that balancing the rapid pace of modernization with an unwavering focus on sustainment is critical to achieving the end goals in CNO’s NAVPLAN.
“This is our Manhattan Project,” Sermon said, equating the rapid research and development conducted by the U.S. during World War II to produce the world’s first nuclear weapons, with today’s race to modernize in areas such as additive manufacturing.
“It’s just that important,” said Sermon, “we have to continue to be aggressive.”
At the same time, Sermon recognizes the need for sustainment of current platforms and systems that keep the nation safe day in and day out.
"We take extraordinary care in maintaining today's boats," said Sermon, referring to the current Ohio-class SSBNs.
The key to readying the strategic weapons system enterprise for 2027 and a long-term enduring advantage?
Teamwork.
Sermon praised the close partnership between PEO SSBN and SSP, especially on strategic deterrence infrastructure priorities. Wolfe echoed this, and extended that concept to the submarine force’s industry partners, and those private sector entities operating in areas with similar supply requirements as SSP. Wolfe said he prefers teamwork over competition when it comes to prioritizing infrastructure needs and recruitment of a quality workforce, and that if everything is seen as competition between the private sector and the government, “then someone has to lose and someone has to win, and that’s not what we need as a nation.”
Many of the other speakers at the symposium referenced similar situations where they were working with industry and the private sector to ensure the sustainment of current critical systems to support the warfighter while also developing new capabilities. Michael McClatchey, Executive Director for Program Executive Office Undersea Warfare Systems, offered a succinct defense of the need to be equally focused on sustainment and development.
“We have to make sure that the adversary knows “not today,” but also, “not tomorrow,” said McClatchey.
Throughout the two days, strategic deterrence was consistently spoken of as the nation’s “anchoring power,” as a bulwark against China’s nuclear build up, and as a backdrop against which the rest of submarine force modernization was occurring.
The Naval Submarine League is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization which seeks opportunities to stipulate and promote awareness, by all elements of American society, of the need of a strong undersea arm of the U.S. Navy. In addition to its annual symposium, the League publicly recognizes professional excellence in the Submarine Force and pursues opportunities to promote Submarine Force esprit de corps, as well as working to preserve the heritage of the Submarine Force.
A credible, effective nuclear deterrent is essential to our national security and the security of U.S. allies. Deterrence remains a cornerstone of national security policy in the 21st century.
Strategic Systems Programs provides training, systems, equipment, facilities and personnel responsible for ensuring the safety, security, and effectiveness of the nation’s Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) Trident II (D5LE) Strategic Weapon System.
SLBMs are one leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear deterrent Triad that also includes the U.S. Air Force’s intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and nuclear-capable bombers. Each part of the Triad provides unique capabilities and advantages.
SLBMs make up the majority – approximately 70 percent – of the U.S.’s deployed strategic nuclear deterrent Triad. The SLBM is the most survivable, provides persistent presence, and allows flexible concept of operations.
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.22.2024 12:53 |
| Story ID: | 485963 |
| Location: | ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
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