Cowpens Team Attends Single-Ship ASW Qualifications at Yokosuka

The U.S. Navy anti-submarine warfare (ASW) team aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Cowpens (CG 63) attended the single-ship ASW qualification course at Yokosuka Naval Base on March 6. “The single-ship ASW qualification course provides ASW teams procedural and tactical training, and evaluation in a multithreat environment for conventional and data-equipped ships,” said Lt. Daryl Adamson, Center for Surface Combat Systems Detachment Yokosuka (CSCS Det. Yokosuka) officer in charge. The detachment provides this opportunity to the U.S. 7th Fleet during a two-week course of classroom instruction and different battle scenarios. Operation Specialist 1st Class Fabian Fowler, ASW course instructor said, “The ships need to take this class once a year to renew their qualifications.”

The training facility consists of several rooms with operation stations replicating a ship’s combat information center and sonar room where the scenarios take place. There are four different battle scenarios ASW teams must complete to finish the course: direct path ctive (DPA), target motion analyst (TMA), sonobuoy localization and final battle problem. Fowler said the ASW team goes through several practice problems until they feel comfortable enough to be graded on the final scenarios. The DPA scenario is used to find the exact location of the hostile submarine so the helicopters can deploy sonobouys to gather more information. “The TMA scenario uses many different ships and the task is to sort through them and locate the hostile submarine and the possible target,” said Sonar Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer Wynn Sullivan, ASW course instructor. “During the sonobouy localization scenario, helicopters deploy sonobouys to detect underwater contact; triangulate their position; and respond with appropriate counter measures.” “The final battle problem combines all three of the scenarios making it as realistic as possible,” said Sullivan. According to Sullivan, Cowpens has steadily progressed in their practice scenarios and he is very confident they will successfully complete the course.

By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Kari R. Bergman, Fleet Public Affairs Center, Det Japan