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dozen tug-type auxiliary ships °P ' v( by the NRF in some respects woul ^
adr<'!
forth
erated ships. During the Carter
posed as an alternative to constru
The Navy’s leadership has long used such slogans as “One Navy” and “Total Force” to imply that the Naval Reserve was part of the “real” Navy and, in crisis or war, would become a full and equal partner. Despite these slogans, the Navy has traditionally not provided the Naval Reserve with the first-line ships and aircraft required for full participation.
Since the late 1940s, when the reserve was reconstituted after World War II, it was provided with outdated surface ships and immobilized submarines. While the active Navy had destroyers of then new Gearing (DD-710) and Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) classes, the reserve was given the Fletcher (DD-445) and older destroyer types no longer used by the active fleet, and equally obsolescent destroyer escorts and patrol craft. The submarines assigned to reserve training were dockside “hulks” that could not get underway, hence providing limited training and no combat potential.
More than three decades later, the situation remained essentially the same. In 1980, the Naval Reserve Force (NRF) had one postwar-built Forrest Sherman (DD-933)-class destroyer, which was shared with the Navy Officer Candidate School (OCS); 15 Gearing-class ships, average age 35 years; and 22 similarly dated ocean minesweepers (MSOs). The destroyers lacked modern antisubmarine sensors and weapons, had no helicopter capability, and had no defense against air
and missile threats. Their only viab z ^ was gunfire support with their four ^ 5-inch/38-caliber guns. Similarly- , MSOs lacked effective counters to em influence mines. The hall- ^ amphibious warfare ships and a ^(£j
would
been the most valuable in a future or conflict.
Periodically there had been - improving the quality of the resen
tration, proposals were even put 1-- a new frigate class (FFX) intende ^ cifically for NRF operation. These tere ships, however, were in
the Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG- .r,gates, already looked upon by ^°vveve'ICS as ‘°° aus‘ere a warship. bUiitr ‘
m an , p0ne °f the FFX frigates were Thjs Mp construction continued.
situation improved when
I __ **»*v*j| £111^/1 v , VXJ VV UK/
‘981 Ronald Reagan took office in 111311 an^ ot" ‘he Navy John Leh- ship i,. h>s colleagues looked to a 600- tiet bv att*C Force” that could only be coU]HUnting some NRF ships. While destroyg slrnPly count the obsolete NRF ‘be 600-*1 and minesweepers as part of ship Navy, the decision was in-
steaci
fully Cala^1' t0 provide the reserve with Ct>d ,?ah'e ships, albeit at the “low”
°f ‘he force
mix.
>n t0tr!mpressive was ‘he Navy’s deci- Provide the NRF with 24 modern
antisubmarine warfare (ASW) frigates. Initially, plans were drawn up to give the reserve 16 of the new Oliver Hazard Perry-class ships and eight of the Knox (FF-1052) frigates, the latter ships completed in the early 1970s. Subsequently, Secretary Lehman added two more FFG- 7s for a total of 26 comparatively modern ships.
The FFG-7s operated by the reserve will have the SQR-18A towed sonar array instead of the SQR-19 fitted in active Navy ships, and the SH-2F LAMPS I helicopter in lieu of the SH-60B Seahawk LAMPS III. Still, the 26 reserve-manned frigates will provide a potent ASW escort capability, with the Oliver Hazard Perrys' Mk-13 missile launchers providing an effective antiaircraft (Standard-MR)
Given active-duty Navy requirements, neither NRF LST (the Racine, left) has much time for reserve training, unlike the NRF’s one destroyer, the Edson (above).
and antiship (Harpoon) capability. The first two ships of the Knox class went to the NRF in January 1982 and the first of the Oliver Hazard Perry class in January 1984.
Ironically, the newer, more-capable FFG-7s will be easier for the reserves to operate, in part because the Knox-class ships have the more complex SQS-26 and gas turbines of the newer ships. The augmented capability and greater availability of the newer ships will mean increased
Table 1 Naval Reserve Force Plan
*—------ | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
class | 1 3 | 1 5 | 1 9 | 1 12 | 1 16 | 1 18 |
6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | |
Ms0 Jpe | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
<Jawier | 18 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 5 |
0 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 22 | 22 |
r°cti
*din
'8s ! October 1984
participation in active fleet exercises and operations.
The single destroyer remaining in the NRF, the Edson (DD-946), is scheduled to remain in a dual NRF-OCS role at Newport, Rhode Island.
One other surface combatant has been proposed for the NRF—the dreadnought Wisconsin (BB-64), the last of the four battleships being reactivated. Secretary Lehman, however, has said that the Wisconsin will be an active ship. Yet the reserve has still had an important role in the battleship program. Many reservists
111
Reserve SBU-11, -13, -22, and -24 op ate Swift fast patrol craft (PCFs), n I patrol boats (PBRs), mini-armored t®. I carriers (ATCs), and Seafox fast Pa 1 craft. These SBUs provide an ins ^ | warfare capability, including support ^ clandestine operations, and delivery recovery of SEAL special warfare tea and gunfire and spotter activities.
The NRF is also planning for an crease in amphibious and auxiliary < bilities. Four amphibious cargo ships
having
1979'
the Charleston (LKA-113) class been transferred to the reserve in - 80, were soon returned to the active I because of operational require®® Having 20,700 tons full-load displa . ment and a length of 575.5 feet, 1 ^1 were the largest ships assigned to NRF. Two tank landing ships of the p I port (LST-1179) class remain in ^ I service. This comes despite heavy^l
ingreS’ I
Most Navy riverine craft are assigned to reserve special boat units which support inshore wartime clandestine operations, deployment of SEAL teams, and gunfire and spotter activities.
signed up for duty on board the reactivated USS Iowa (BB-61) and USS New Jersey (BB-62). Moreover, when the New Jersey’s deployment off Lebanon was extended over the 1983 year-end holidays, many reservists volunteered to fly to the ship to permit regular crewmen to have leave.
The reserve will also man the mine countermeasure ships (MCMs) and minesweeper hunters (MSHs) now being built. These ships will probably first go to the active fleet for their shakedown. Then these 14 MCMs and 17 MSHs will be manned by the reserve. The mission of these craft will be to clear U. S. ports in wartime. Such local operations make them highly suitable for NRF manning. The MSOs, built in the early 1950s, will be retired as the new ships become available. (See Table 1.)
Another mine countermeasures activity planned for the reserve is the craft of opportunity program (COOP). Under this program, commercial trawlers and patrol
craft (YP)-type seamanship training vessels will be fitted with limited mine countermeasure capabilities, including sidescanning sonar and sweep gear. The trawler concept was evaluated with a shrimp boat acquired in 1980. Designated MSSB-1 (for minesweeping shrimp boat), this 63-foot craft was fitted with an additional electrical generator, sweep gear, and a small sonar (WQS-1). Under COOP, other fishing craft and the older YPs will be made available to the reserve. (Beyond the surface mine countermeasure forces, the reserves will operate a squadron of RH-53D Sea Stallion MCM helicopters.)
These NRF frigates, the destroyer Edson, and minesweepers are assigned to the Atlantic and Pacific fleets’ naval surface forces, being integrated with the groups and squadrons of these active Navy organizations.
Small craft are the reserve’s forte, as the active Navy generally has little interest in small combatant craft. Accordingly, some two-thirds of the Navy’s small patrol craft are assigned to the reserve. Virtually all of the Navy’s riverine craft are assigned to special boat units (SBUs) under Special Boat Squadron 1 at Coronado, California, and Squadron 2 at Norfolk, Virginia. These squadrons have two active duty and four NRF boat units.
reserve training The
these two Lists witn an aaaiuuu— ^ one dock landing ship (LSD), an ^ amphibious transport dock (LPD) J early 1990s. Obviously, there is sl?^c cant opportunity for changes n1 plans during the next few years. ^ With respect to auxiliary ships- ^ large support ships, probably of the)(J
A
long-range plan is to supp c ^ :wo LSTs with an additional ^ and
can (AR-5) class, are expected
to g°,
the reserve by the end of the deca^£, help maintain the large frigate Also, the five new Cimarron (AO' class fleet oilers are planned for aS.Ajl I ment to the reserve beginning in , ,rIr I year 1988, after the oilers are rn%gl'l ized. These ships, completed ® ,
82, are in stark contrast to the Vu ^1 built in World War II. These oilers ^ counted among the mobile logistlC
needed to support the 600-ship
of'
The four fleet tugs (ATFs) now ated by the NRF are being Pha The future of the pair of older s ^ ships (ARSs), now manned by ®hjp< serve, is unclear; also the transfer o I of some of the new Safeguard (A*> $
class salvage ships to the NRF lS
considered.
nbef_
Such trends as the large 01)111 a| pc ships being transferred to the Nav ^ serve Force, improved NRF ships ^ bilities, and the NRF’s inclusion >n c
of A •
Force planning indicate a new bit- hand for the Naval Reserve. ,jj b challenge for the Naval Reserve ^ maintaining and operating these s J^il' meeting their new operational c ^ ments. The active Navy will be vv'a
Proceedings
/ OcW
,b«r