NATO AND PARTNER SUBMARINES IN A CHANGING GEOPOLITICAL ENVIRONMENT:

There is a story about a famous judge on a train trip who, after thoroughly searching his pockets, is unable to locate his ticket. Recognizing the distinguished judge, the understanding conductor says to the befuddled man, "Sir, don't worry. You don't need your ticket. You'll probably find it when you get off the train, and I'm sure that the railroad will trust you to mail it back later." The judge looks up at the conductor, and with some irritation replies, "My dear man, that's not the issue at all. My problem is not finding my ticket. My problem is, where am I going?

As the NATO Alliance currently finds itself in a period of great transition, that same question comes to mind often. The changing geopolitical environment coupled with tremendous advances in technology and communications has resulted in fundamental changes in the global security landscape. We live in a time of tremendous promise for peace and prosperity throughout the world. But even as we welcome the possibilities for an unprecedented peace, we cannot ignore the threats that may hamper or prevent the achievement of that peace. While the likelihood of global conflict is diminished, challenges to our security have appeared in more complex guises.

From a submarine perspective, fundamental changes since the end of the Cold War involve major shifts in war fighting concepts and doctrine. There is a distinct shift in emphasis from the deterrence of global war instigated by a specific region to the deterrence of regional conflicts on a global scale, and a further shift from independent operations to the increased support of multi-national maritime forces and combined joint task forces. Equally, there has been a shift in mission focus from an almost exclusive thrust towards anti-submarine warfare (ASW) to a more balanced emphasis on the modern submarine's multi-mission capabilities. Within the Alliance, Commander Submarines Allied Command Atlantic (COMSUBACLANT) plays a major role in guiding NATO submarines through this changing operational context.

Commander Submarines Allied Command Atlantic

In the integrated military structure, COMSUBACLANT is one of five major subordinate commanders in ACLANT. Directly subordinate to the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, SUBACLANT constitutes an alliance-wide coordination capability for centralized management of Alliance submarine policy and doctrine. Established in 1968 with the purpose of providing a direct route for advice on submarine matters to the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, SUBACLANT is a US-financed international military headquarters.

COMSUBACLANT is dual-hatted as Commander Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT), located in Norfolk, Virginia. Selected members of the national staff form the SUBACLANT Headquarters. These individuals have both US national and NATO respon-sibilities. At present, there are 25 officer and enlisted SUBACLANT billets filled primarily by US Navy personnel. Canada and the United Kingdom are represented by bilateral exchange officers in the Plans/Policy and Operations branches respectively. This head-quarters arrangement has provided for safe and effective operation of Alliance submarines for over 30 years, and has furnished the Alliance with all the benefits of a major staff without the expenditure of NATO common funds.

Roles and Missions

COMSUBACLANT's primary mission is to contribute to the preservation of the security of ACLANT by providing an Alliance-wide coordination capability for centralized management of NATO submarine policy and doctrine. In addition, SUBACLANT coordinates submarine operations within the ACLANT area of responsibility, to ensure that attack submarines (SS/SSN) do not hamper the secure operations of strategic submarines (SSBN). COMSUBACLANT is directly responsible to SACLANT for advice on submarine plans and operations, and for the coord-ination of overall submarine planning, operations, and exercises within ACLANT. Further, SUBACLANT provides the required coordination of submarine planning, tasking, and employment between the Major NATO Commanders (MNCs), for both exercises and operations, within and beyond NATO's area of responsibility. In this capacity, SUBACLANT is authorized direct liaison with Allied Command Europe (ACE) commands responsible for submarine operations, and serves as the principal source of submarine operational planning and tactical doctrine to both MNCs for the 13 NATO nations and 6 Partner nations that operate submarines.

Challenges

One of COMSUBACLANT's key challenges is to ensure that NATO commanders appreciate the significant potential that the submarine brings in support of a commander's campaign. Submarines are extremely versatile platforms by virtue of their inherent characteristics. Foremost among these is stealth. The most basic and important characteristic of a modern submarine is its ability to submerge and become virtually invisible. Stealth confers a number of advantages to submarines. First, the submarine is covert. A submarine can easily conduct operations with-out indicating to other forces that it is present or involved. Using the cloak of the sea, it can operate with impunity from attack by cruise missiles, theatre ballistic missiles or weapons of mass destruction, before air and sea superiority are achieved. Second, submarines contribute extensively to an adversary's uncertainty; a submarine is both "every-where and nowhere." It is extremely difficult to determine when, where, or how many submarines are in a given theatre of operation. This uncertainty creates leverage out of all proportion to actual force size. Likewise, submarines are non-provocative; they can be moved into position, remain on station, or be withdrawn without causing a crisis to escalate or result in an adverse response. Finally, stealth confers survivability in an era of precision targeting.

A second important characteristic is endurance. Most submarines can remain on station for long periods, constrained only by the need to replenish food supplies or weapons; even coastal submarines limited by lesser fuel capacity have a greater ability to remain engaged than do other platforms. As such, submarines place little reliance on forward bases, logistic trains, or pre-positioned supplies, and therefore do not tax Allied commanders with re-supply requirements. Submarines provide continuity, remaining where needed before a crisis develops, during the crisis, and afterwards until stability is restored. This sustained dwell time makes submarines ideal surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

A third key characteristic is lethality. Because stealth provides its own defence, submarines can carry a high ratio of offensive to defensive weapons, and almost invariably have the element of surprise. Because of these factors, submarines are an ideal choice to contest control of the seas or hamper the projection of power ashore from the sea. A modern submarine can engage the enemy on the submarine's own terms, at a time of its choosing and with a variety of weapons. Submarines can conduct anti-sub-marine and anti-surface warfare in both the open ocean and in the littorals. They can mine enemy harbours, provide a rapid cruise missile strike capability far into enemy territory and they can, with great secrecy and surprise, support amphibious assaults, gunfire spotting, forward air control, tactical intelligence, sabotage, and insurgency operations.

Nuclear-powered submarines also bring to the table a fourth attribute, agility. They can arrive quickly where needed, and act promptly in response to a broad range of situations. Nuclear propulsion affords submarines high speed for an unlimited time. By virtue of their broad spectrum of weapons, sensors and reliable and increasingly robust command, control and communications capability, they are capable of responding rapidly to multi-mission taskings.

Support of Alliance Objectives.

The evolving operational context that Alliance military forces are adopting requires vigorous participation by COMSUBACLANT. This participation is taking place in a variety of venues ranging from the development of the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) and Multi-National Maritime Force (MNMF) concepts, to the expansion of the Partnership for Peace program, and the continuing pursuit of integrated and enhanced capabilities for NATO submarines.

COMSUBACLANT fully supports the integration of submarines within the NATO Combined Joint Task Force and Multi-National Maritime Force in the full range of potential operations. This integration will be achieved through the constant exchange of ideas with CJTF and MNMF Commanders, and by the development of tactics and procedures for submarine support of these operations. In coordination with both Major NATO Commanders, SUBACLANT continues to refine an effective joint operations concept, doctrine and implementation plan for the flexible deployment and employment of NATO submarines, and promotes debate upon the methodology of force planning and non-proliferation strategy. In addition, SUBACLANT actively pursues the development of experimental tactics and procedures for validation during national and NATO exercises, with the ultimate aim of inclusion in Allied Tactical Publications (ATPs). Continuance of this effort is essential to the early and effective assignment of NATO submarine forces to CJTFs and MNMFs in time of crisis or war.

In conjunction with other NATO submarine commands, COMSUBACLANT promotes cooperation with the militaries of Partner and other non-NATO nations to enhance stability and offer the potential of effective combined operations. This involves participation in working groups involved in Partnership for Peace activities and broadening submarine staff conferences to include Partnership for Peace issues. Further, COMSUBACLANT is committed to taking an active role in the development of standardized procedures for the safe integration of Partner submarines into NATO live exercises.

From a national perspective, COMSUBLANT has been able to demonstrate to other NATO members the degree to which nuclear-powered submarines can integrate success-fully into Carrier Battle Groups operating at high speeds in hostile waters. Battle group operations continue to evolve, resulting in more varied and effective use of submarines. The key enabler for these operations is reliable and improved connectivity, which has greatly enhanced the ability of assigned submarines to share tactical information with the Battle Group. SUBACLANT is committed to improving submarine communications with other allied units by exercising the NATO VLF MSK capability to support NATO WESTLANT deployments, as well as endorsing the installation of NATO VLF MSK capability at Iceland. SUBACLANT actively promotes the implementation of the Maritime Command and Control Information System (MCCIS) and other information exchange systems within the headquarters of NATO Submarine Operating Authorities (SUBOPAUTHs), with a view to harmonizing electronic water space management capability among these commands. Initiatives aimed at improving communications connectivity and promoting effective standardized submarine communications within the Alliance, as well the development of functional planning guidance are designed to enhance the effectiveness of the NATO-wide submarine Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) and operational structures, and the ability of submarines to support Alliance objectives in times of crisis or war.

Other initiatives to improve the integration and enhancement of NATO submarine capabilities include the development and implementation of policies that facilitate effective repair and re-supply of NATO submarines, and the exercise of submarine escape and rescue capability. COMSUBACLANT, in his national capacity as COMSUBLANT, encourages the employment of a US submarine tender to support MNMF submarines in NATO operations and exercises when shore-based submarine logistic support is not otherwise available. COMSUBACLANT also firmly supports the continued existence of a viable Alliance-wide submarine escape and rescue capability, which is essential for the collective well-being of national submarine services. Accordingly, a widening of the support base and general knowledge of submarine escape and rescue procedures, capabilities and availability is strongly encouraged. This includes the solicitation of non-NATO nations to both observe and participate in NATO submarine escape and rescue live exercises, as well as the exchange of technical data regarding submarine escape and rescue equipment and facilities.

Summary

While the enlargement of the Alliance heralds a new era of security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area, the opportunity for regional conflict remains. Naval forces must be more flexible than in earlier years and still be able to respond quickly and decisively in any crisis. NATO submarines are exceptionally versatile platforms whose inherent characteristics of stealth, endurance, lethality and agility make them capable of responding across the full spectrum of conflict ranging from the evacuation of noncombatant personnel to full blown war. As such, NATO submarines are, and will continue to be, key elements in any military option exercised by the Alliance. They will be crucial to the NATO military structure as components of Combined Joint Task Forces, Multi-National Maritime Forces, naval battle groups, and as independent units. They will clearly play an important role in establishing and maintaining balance in this uncertain world. COMSUBACLANT's challenge, as we progress through this evolving geopolitical environment, is to ensure that all NATO and Partner nations understand completely and exploit fully the multi-mission capabilities of submarines. In this regard, SUBACLANT will direct its energies to ensure that NATO submarine policy and doctrine becomes clearly established and proves to be appropriate for future operations in peace, crisis, and war.

Commander L.M. Hickey is on exchange in Norfolk, Virginia as the NATO Plans, Policy and Exercises Officer on the staff of the Commander Submarine Force, US Atlantic Fleet (COMSUBLANT).