Turner: U.S. Space Command serves a critical need in defense of our country, and we should never forget that core mission and the dedicated service of those filling the role. (Photo/DOD)
COMMENTARY
By Troy Turner
While many in Alabama are busy with local-effect logistics such as jobs and infrastructure regarding the transition of U.S. Space Command’s headquarters from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, an interesting mission-related conversation occurred Thursday.
Ditto regarding the armament of submarines, which is of keen interest to those in the Mobile region of south Alabama and, just lately, in the Shoals area of northwest Alabama.
The discussion included SPACECOM commander Gen. Stephen Whiting and U.S. Strategic Command commander Admiral Richard Correll, who appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee and took questions from Alabama’s Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
Read on:
LOST IN SPACE? Maybe not…
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that a rocket uses most of its fuel just getting its payload to space. And if that payload is a fuel-bearing satellite, the weight of fuel is a determining factor of how much it can take with it to orbit.
Meaning, what do you do with a still-valuable spacecraft when it runs out of fuel?
SPACECOM and plenty of other players operating in the space domain have considered various concepts of space refueling for some time. In fact, it is one reason we earthlings would like to find water on the moon, because that would mean we could more easily manufacture rocket fuel there someday.
Tuberville and Whiting discussed space refueling at Thursday’s committee briefing:
TUBERVILLE: “Talk about logistics for a second, of SPACECOM missions. Air Force has over 10 percent of its aircraft dedicated to aerial refueling. Satellites have historically been built with no way to refuel here in the U.S., but the Chinese Communist Party demonstrated space refueling capabilities for the first time last year. Any recommendations for the future?”
WHITING: “Senator, you know well in your question that our traditional domains, the air, land and sea, those military services that have led there, have extraordinary percentages of their force dedicated to enabling maneuver through sustainment and logistics.
In fact, there’s a great quote from Admiral Nimitz in World War II that he said that at-sea replenishment and refueling is what won World War II for the U.S. Navy because they could continue to fight.
(“Underway replenishment was the U.S. Navy’s secret weapon of World War II.” — Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz.)
(Gen. Stephen Whiting/file DoD photo, Alexander Kubitza)
And as you noted, in space, we launch, typically, a satellite with all the fuel it’s ever going to have. And every time we maneuver, we expend fuel, and so we always have to have this discussion, ‘Should I maneuver even though it’s gonna take life off the end of that satellite?’
And that creates a psychology of scarcity across our enterprise where we don’t enable tactical commanders to maneuver the way they might want to because we’re concerned about the expenditure of fuel.
So, my recommendation, Senator, is that the United States develop on-orbit logistics and servicing capability that would allow us to bring maneuver warfare to space the same way that the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps execute maneuver warfare in their respective domains.”
How does it affect Alabama?
First, Whiting provides an excellent reminder of but one of untold many challenges SPACECOM must address on a daily basis as part of its mission to defend, deploy and depend on U.S. space assets.
Regarding all the hoopla in bringing SPACECOM HQ to Alabama over the next several years, let’s not forget the most important focus we all should keep: SPACECOM provides a critical mission, and everything from your GPS assistance to cell phones to, oh yeah, your national security, depends on it.
Secondly, there are thousands of engineers, technicians and others working in Alabama – and Colorado – who hear the message, and you can bet a portion of them are working on space-refueling concepts. The aerospace industry also faces many challenges given it, and this is but one of interest.
Third, it was a subtle little reminder to all of Congress that, yes, funding for such an endeavor would be nice in the coming years. And yes, some of that funding most likely would benefit space research and development in the space industry states of Alabama and Colorado, among others.
A sidenote: Don’t forget that we have NASA in Alabama, as well, with Marshall Space Flight Center and numerous civilian and academic space-centered entities calling the state home.
LOST AT SEA? Not if we build more…
The number of torpedo and/or missile tubes on a submarine isn’t something most Alabamians ponder on a daily basis, but building submarines is becoming something of a trend in the state.
Or, at least, building components and modules that are contributed to the final bolts and screws in building a submarine.
Photo/Austal USA
During Thursday’s committee hearing, Tuberville and Admiral Correll shed light on the differences in the older, now-deployed Ohio-class submarines compared to the new Columbia-class vessels Alabama is helping to build:
TUBERVILLE: “Thank you, Admiral [Correll], submarines are the tip of the spear for our nuclear capabilities. The problem is we just can’t seem to build them fast enough. So, what flexibility and capabilities do STRATCOM gain if we were able to fill 16 Columbia class submarines versus 12?”
CORRELL: “Senator, the existing capability we have includes 14 Ohio class boats with 20 tubes. So, that’s 280 launch tubes. The program of record is a minimum of 12 Columbia [class boats] with 16 tubes each and that’s 192. So that’s 280 versus 192.
Chairman Wicker in his opening remarks talked about the challenges and the complexities in the strategic environment. So, additional capacity and capability at sea in terms of launchers is very beneficial from my perspective.
There’s ongoing work within the Department [of War] in terms of force efficiency, and that work will inform any future budget decisions associated with Columbia [class].
But if you just do the math for what we have and the program of record, I will continue to advocate for additional capability at sea in terms of the Columbia class.”
How does it affect Alabama?
Mobile-based shipbuilder Austal USA and Alabama Shipyard Inc. already are working under contract with the U.S. Navy to produce modules used in the construction of Columbia-class submarines, which are the Navy’s future nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
An artist rendering of the future Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines./U.S. Navy
The newer subs will replace the Ohio-class vessels.
And, just recently came the announcement and ribbon-cutting for a 2.2 million-square-foot facility to be used by the U.S. Navy to produce submarine parts in the Shoals area.
That endeavor will be led by the rising-star defense company Hadrian, which is becoming known for its innovative and high-tech approach to precision manufacturing. Up to 1,000 high-paying jobs are expected to be created in northwest Alabama.
Both regions of submarine-contributing Alabama industries are producing components not just for the aforementioned Columbia-class missile subs, but also for the Virginia-class attack submarines the Navy is adding to its fleet.
A sidenote: One such aging Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine serving our nation now is the USS Alabama, which was commissioned in 1985.
The USS Alabama after returning from a patrol./U.S. Navy photo by Ahron Arendes
CONCLUSION:
Gen. Whiting and Adm. Correll provided interesting insight to Tuberville’s interesting questions.
None of it was anything new to those in the military and defense industries who already are exploring solutions and strategies to the topics that were discussed Thursday.
The briefing did, however, give everyone else a window view into a few things on the leadership’s minds.
Yes, thousands of jobs are continuing to be added to Alabama’s fast-track growing defense industry.
Yes, it’s no secret that we’re falling behind China in shipbuilding and space dominance if we don’t catch up or keep up, respectively.
Yes, we’re still No. 1 in space and at sea, but we have to work hard to keep it that way; and we all owe a great big thank you to the men and women who serve our country so tirelessly and with so much personal sacrifice.
It’s also good to know that a dedicated, skilled workforce and a vast array of influential military/industry/government leadership right here in Alabama is at the helm of those defense-building efforts.
Because of that, look for the growth trend to continue, as the state creates additional educational and skill-training opportunities for those looking to fill the thousands of jobs building submarines, designing spacecraft, or perhaps sewing uniforms.
Photo/The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind
Alabama sees the needs required to help support our national security, and the state continues to step further onto the center stage of military and defense industry spotlight. Unfortunately because of the threats we face today and in the near future, that spotlight is only going to get brighter.
Alabama, no doubt, will look to be mission-ready.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be contacted at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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