According to reports, the USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) and the USS Ashville are in submarine familiarization (SUBFAM) last June 14, to train the Blue Ridge crew on how to fight alongside a submarine with increase South China Sea tensions.
The Blue Ridge is a command ship that processes data received from the staging area of US assets. It includes how subs would operate in several conditions. It is also coordinating with deadly US attacks that are in the pacific, reported in Navy Mil.
Before deployment of the 3 carrier strike groups, several US attack subs were on pacific patrol. This led to intelligence that guided when to unleash the US Flotilla. In turn, the Chinese were spooked by subs, which they could not detect with the carriers' appearance made Beijing jumpier.
Lt. Cmdr. Robert Gore, the 7th Fleet submarine operations officer, said the training was to teach the USS Ridge Crew, how a sub's profile will be at periscope depth and especially with PLAN active in the South China Sea. Another is learning how a sub can hide at that depth, confirmed in Hire a Veteran.
On the Blue Ridge, the ship has systems that incept, sort out, and figure out what the data tells about the enemy's movement. Once the data has been assembled, and analyzed the system will be used as tactical info for attack or defense. Working with a sub is different, so the training gained is invaluable. Mention in Pacom.
Captain Craig Sola, Blue Ridge's commanding officer added that knowing what look for. He stressed that the Blue Ridge has one of the most advanced systems of its kind on any ship in operation. Learning how subs work gives more insight on countering them in the open seas via the naval submarine service.
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Submarines are the most lethal threats to surface ships, the Blue Ridge specialists can now utilize all the command and control to detect a slinking sub under the water. Tracking a sub-surface sub is just as important with its periscope that's barely out of the waterline.
One of the participants, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jeremiah Ramos, said this is the first time to track a submarine. It has given more insight into how to detect and sift the data, which indicates a submarine is prowling nearby. He is part of the watchstander combat information center.
The commanding officer of the USS Ashville stated why the USS Blue Ridge training is crucial.
Cmdr. Thomas Bullock, USS Asheville commander, explains that the fast attack working with US 7th Fleet Flagship is a rare chance for the secretive submarine service of the US Navy. Their cooperation will enable more effective joint operations. One of the advantages of co-training is to make readiness for anything that includes how attacks by forces in the field to engage enemies of the US interests to bring the fight to them.
The Ashville called the "The Ghost of the Coast" and one of a quartet of Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines assigned to the commander, Submarine Squadron (CSS) 15, at the Guam Naval base. This unit the CSS-15, submarines, and tenders are the spearhead of the US Navy in Pacific Ops are the first to meet enemies and interests against the US in all global operations.
USS Blue Ridge is responsible for security and stability in the Indo-Pacific, another job of ship and crew is to keep it all synced with allies in the region. Working with the USS Ashville gives the command ship another dimension, cited in Commander US 7th Fleet.
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