This year has seen tremendous progress for a key component of “Sea Power 21.” Amphibious and surface warfare ships, submarines, and Marines are coming together to create the expeditionary strike group. A springtime test of this concept centered on the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Essex (LHD02), and Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54); another group just deployed.
The expeditionary strike group (ESG) concept, exercised in the spring of this year as part of Seventh Fleet's forward-deployed forces, has demonstrated that, as we move into the 21st century, our naval forces are continuing to meet our nation's challenges. This first test and fielding of the ESG was part of a Navy-Marine Corps proof-of-concept plan involving East and West Coast forces testing different ESG command-and-control models. Lessons learned from this exercise already are being put to use as ESG-1, which sailed from San Diego in August, makes its first full operational deployment.
The first expeditionary strike group sailed from Sasebo, Japan, on 17 April 2003, marking the initial operational testing of a new combination of Marine and amphibious units with cruisers, destroyers, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, and special operations forces. Vice Admiral Robert Willard, Commander, Seventh Fleet, and Lieutenant General Wallace Gregson, Commanding General, III Marine Expeditionary Force, directed the establishment, organization, and staffing of the group, labeled ESG FDNF (Forward Deployed Naval Forces). In fall 2002, the two officers agreed to insert the group as a late entry into Tandem Thrust '03, a large-scale biannual Pacific Command joint forces exercise conducted in the Guam operating area during April and May 2003. An evaluation of the group also was part of Fleet Battle Experiment Kilo, conducted coincident with Tandem Thrust by the Maritime Battle Center of the Navy Warfare Development Command.
The ESG is an initiative to provide the nation and the regional combatant commanders with more capable sea-based power projection. The idea of combining amphibious assets with surface combatants is not new, having been used by Admiral Richmond Kelly Turner and General Holland M. "Howlin' Mad" Smith as the main operational tool of the Pacific Islands campaign in World War II. Its modern usage, however, is transformational because of the ESG's inherent capabilities and missions-the ability to go where recent amphibious groups have been unable to go, stay there, and hold landward targets against opposition.
The "crown jewel" of the ESG remains the Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) and amphibious ready group team. The enhanced combat power and ability to surveil, track, and monitor a much larger battle space and link with other strike groups, joint forces, and theater assets gives the ESG unique capabilities. These include better-integrated joint fires, extensive link and air defense expertise, much expanded area air defense, a Tomahawk land-attack missile capability, direct submarine support, and real undersea warfare self-defense and surface warfare capabilities. All of these have been absent from amphibious operations in recent years.
While the nearly two dozen mission sets of the Marine expeditionary unit's air-ground task force remain unchanged, the scope has increased based on the ESG's expanded capabilities. The result is a task force greater than the sum of its parts. The ESG that participated in Tandem Thrust '03 consisted of the Essex (LHD-2), Fort McHenry (LSD-43), Juneau (LPD-10), Antietam (CG-54), O'Brien (DD-975), Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54), and City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705), as well as the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). The ESG also had six dedicated F/A-18 Hornets and P-3 Orion aircraft in support. The warfare commander organization used during Tandem Thrust '03 is shown in Figure 1.
Admiral Willard's command-and-control philosophy, centered on combined-effects warfare—the components of which are focus of effort, desired effects, and carefully delineated supported and supporting commanders—and was the commander's guidance for the ESG's war fighting, both organizationally and dynamically. The Navy's composite warfare commander doctrine and the Marine Corps' air-ground task force doctrine were joined with combined-effects warfare to produce in the ESG a strong, agile, and effective fighting team. The ESG's use of this warfighting construct has quickly transformed the composite warfare commander doctrine into an offensive, joint, and littoral warfighting doctrine.
The three principal warfare commanders were the Marine expeditionary unit commanding officer and the amphibious squadron commodore (together forming the expeditionary warfare command) and the cruiser-destroyer squadron leader (a new construct tried during this exercise for the first time), who was tasked as the sea combat and air defense commander. The commanding officer of the Essex, although not assigned responsibility as a principal warfare commander, was a fourth component of the team. The ESG flagship's command-and-control backbone was a critical piece of the group's success.
Admiral Willard and General Gregson directed a Navy rear admiral (Frederic R. Ruehe) and a Marine brigadier general (Timothy Ghormley) to command alternately one-half of the three-week exercise. The ESG core staff averaged about 12 members. Once the exercise was under way, participants realized the benefits of a lean staff when they became immersed in the intense and direct interaction and collaboration that occurred among the warfare commanders and with the ESG commander. The ESG staff's main function was external coordination instead of internal direction and control.
A number of concepts and command arrangements tested successfully during Tandem Thrust '03, among them:
- The ESG can be commanded effectively and interchangeably by either a Navy flag officer or Marine general officer.
- ESG participants noted a significant potential for the group's autonomy and independence and its ability to respond to a variety of crises.
- The cruiser-destroyer squadron concept was employed for the first time. The squadron's commander and his warfare planning teams were fully integrated in the rapid-response planning process.
- For the first time, a submarine element coordinator and the accompanying submarine assistance team were incorporated for the ESG. The submarine element coordinator was collocated with the ESG commander.
* The offensive use of the composite warfare commander concept in littoral warfare was validated.
Among the lessons learned, the definitive ESG staff size still needs refinement. There is consensus from the Tandem Thrust experience that a lean staff is best. The idea of the amphibious squadron commodore dual-hatted as the ESG operations officer has merit and was tested successfully during the exercise Ulchi Focus Eens 2003 Part A in August. Also, the training for prospective ESG commanders needs to be specialized and thorough. Finally, jointness is a natural for the ESG. With the capability to integrate and execute joint fires and other joint capabilities, it will not be long before the ESG becomes a joint expeditionary strike group.
The way ahead for building the ESG into a credible, forward-deployed, and decisive force of choice is to create clear guidance and intent for this new operational organization and solidify it throughout the continuum of leadership in the Navy and Marine Corps. Total commitment for several years will be critical to ensure ESGs take their place as key partners with the other naval crown jewel—the carrier strike group.
Captain Petrea is the chief operating officer of Global Perspectives, Inc. He served more than 27 years as a naval aviator, commanded an F/A-18 squadron, and flew operationally on exchange duty with the Air Force. Captain Pierce is chief of staff for Commander, Task Force 76. He was the staff officer for operations for the ESG during Tandem Thrust ’03. Lieutenant Colonel Jackson is the ESG project officer in the doctrine division of the Naval Warfare Development Center at Newport, Rhode Island.